As Many As 125 Jobs Expected With The $10.1 Million Investment

Bell Helicopter will expand its completion and customer delivery facilities located in Piney Flats, TN. The company said in a news release Thursday that the announcement represents a $10.1 million investment by Bell Helicopter and was achieved through collaboration with the State of Tennessee and Sullivan County. The expansion is anticipated to create up to 125 jobs.

"We continue to see a growing demand for commercial helicopters, and Bell Helicopter’s anticipated production requirements are outpacing the size of our current facility in Piney Flats,” said Eric Cardinali, executive vice president, Customer Support and Services for Bell Helicopter. “Expanding our existing facility allows us to implement new technologies and processes to ensure a high quality customization and delivery process for our customers.”

The expansion includes the purchase of a 150,000 sq. ft. building located just west of the Bell Helicopter Piney Flats facility. The new building will accommodate customizing and completions of light and medium aircraft, and will also house supporting back shops and shipping and receiving operations.
“We are pleased to work with Sullivan County and the state of Tennessee on this project,” said Cardinali. “The quick response from both the county and the state helped solidify our decision to expand in Piney Flats.”

“Our Jobs4TN strategy makes expanding businesses in Tennessee a priority in our efforts to grow jobs, and I want to congratulate Bell Helicopter on the news of their additional investment in Piney Flats,” said Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. “We are thankful to have strong companies like Bell Helicopter continuing to grow in our state.”

“I am pleased to be a part of this announcement today and to share the news that Bell Helicopter is bringing more jobs to the state of Tennessee,” said Bill Hagerty, Economic and Community Development Commissioner. “Helping Tennessee businesses expand right here in our state has been a core focus of recruitment and announcements like this one indicate the effectiveness of our economic development strategy. This is another high-profile example of business expansion in Tennessee even as the broader economy remains challenged.”

FMI: www.bellhelicopter.com