MOBILE, Alabama — Airbus on Monday celebrated the inauguration of its new A320 Family Final Assembly Line (FAL) at its campus in the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, marking a major expansion of the company’s U.S. manufacturing presence and a milestone moment for Alabama’s aerospace industry.
The new A320 FAL represents the latest step in Airbus’ long-term commitment to its Alabama operation. The project adds significant capacity to meet global demand for the A320 family of aircraft and supports the company’s goal of producing 75 single-aisle aircraft per month in two years.
The new assembly line provides an additional 350,000 square feet of manufacturing, office and logistics space to enable the Mobile site to accelerate production to meet Airbus’ global industrial ramp-up targets.
In addition to the third final assembly line, the latest expansion includes more than 1 million square feet of double bay hangars to support A320 aircraft production, quad-bay hangars to support A220 aircraft production, additional paint shops, a new distribution center, expansion of the facility’s transhipment hangar and delivery center and construction of a new welcome center.
The project adds approximately 1,000 jobs and doubles the size of the U.S. Manufacturing Facility.
“This second A320 production line opening in the U.S. marks another major milestone in our global industrial growth strategy,” Commercial Aircraft CEO Christian Scherer said in a statement.
“To reach a monthly production rate of 75 A320 Family aircraft in 2027, we have developed a resilient, efficient, and globally diversified network, and with the launch of this second line, Mobile’s production capacity for the A320 Family is effectively doubled,” he added.
On Monday, Airbus executive leadership and team members, elected officials, customers and community leaders gathered inside the newly built FAL to celebrate the milestone for Airbus, the City of Mobile, the State of Alabama and commercial aircraft manufacturing in the U.S.
Governor Kay Ivey joined the celebration through a video message congratulating Airbus on the new FAL.
“It is because of companies like this that Alabama is a top state for aerospace manufacturing,” she said. “When I took office as governor in 2017, Airbus had only been open for not quite two years, but already a flying force here in North America.
“It’s hard to believe Airbus is now in its 10th year here in Mobile. Certainly, together, we have hit a lot of milestones over the years,” she added.
Ellen McNair, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said Airbus’ continued growth in Mobile underscores the powerful partnership that exists between Alabama and this world-class company
“The addition of this new A320 Final Assembly Line is more than just an expansion — it’s a statement of confidence in our skilled workforce and in Alabama’s ability to compete on the global stage,” Secretary McNair said. “We’re proud that Mobile continues to play such a pivotal role in Airbus’ U.S. industrial success story.”
The U.S. Manufacturing Facility’s first A320 FAL was inaugurated on Sept. 14, 2015. Since then, the team in Mobile has delivered 600 aircraft to customers in the U.S. and Latin America.
Airbus employs more than 2,000 people across 2.5-million square feet of facility space at the Mobile site, which now features two A320 FALs and one A220 FAL.
“This milestone reflects years of collaboration, dedication, and shared vision between Airbus and the Alabama team that supports them,” said Bob Smith, Commerce’s aviation industry specialist. “The new A320 assembly line strengthens Alabama’s position as a true hub for aerospace manufacturing, while creating high-quality jobs and expanding opportunities for our supplier network.
“It’s exciting to see this next chapter of growth take flight right here in Mobile,” Smith added.
Shared success
Since Airbus began U.S. production of A320 aircraft in Mobile in 2015, Alabama has become an essential part of the company’s global manufacturing network. With this new A320 Final Assembly Line now open, Airbus and Alabama are writing the next chapter of a shared success story — one defined by innovation, investment and the enduring power of partnership.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our Airbus team members who have embraced this remarkable growth and pioneered the transformation of our U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama,” Daryl Taylor, Senior Vice President of Commercial Aircraft Operations in the U.S. for Airbus, shared in a social media post.
“To all of our Airbus team members (and their families), elected officials, customers, and community leaders who made this moment possible: Thank you!”
