Images: Airbus A321 completes test flight in Mobile
MOBILE, Alabama — The maiden flight of the first Alabama-made Airbus A321 lasted for less than four hours, but the dramatic images capturing the test mission will linger as a reminder of a pivotal moment in the future of the state’s aerospace sector. Monday’s test flight from Mobile Aeroplex was designed to test the aircraft’s…
First Alabama-made Airbus A321 makes initial test flight
MOBILE, Alabama – Airbus test pilots this morning completed the maiden flight of the company’s first Alabama-made A321 passenger jet, carrying out on a three-hour mission designed to evaluate the plane’s performance and systems. The flight began shortly after 9:30 this morning from the airstrip at the Mobile Aeroplex, the site of Airbus’ new $600…
First Alabama-made Airbus aircraft shows off JetBlue colors
MOBILE, Alabama — The first Alabama-made Airbus A321 is sporting JetBlue colors. Airbus said today that painting of its maiden U.S.-built passenger jet has been completed in its paintshop at the company’s new, $600 million facility at Mobile Aeroplex. The aircraft emerged wearing JetBlue livery. “This latest milestone shows that the first aircraft to be…
Canadian auto supplier Kobay Enstel plans Alabama factory
OXFORD, Alabama — Canadian automotive supplier Kobay Enstel announced plans today to create at least 75 jobs over three years at a new facility in Calhoun County. The Calhoun County Economic Development Council said Kobay Enstel, which stamps metal parts for auto seats, is leasing a 60,000-square-foot speculative building on McIntosh Road in Oxford under…
Golden State Foods launches $63 million Alabama project
OPELIKA, Alabama – California-based Golden State Foods Corp. has launched construction of a $63 million state-of-the-art meat processing facility in Alabama, expanding its investment in the project announced a year ago. Company leaders joined state and local officials this morning at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new 165,000-square-foot facility in the Northeast Opelika Industrial Park.…
First Alabama-made Airbus moves from production to paint
MOBILE, Alabama – The Airbus assembly facility at Mobile Aeroplex reached another milestone this week when the first Alabama-made jetliner left the production floor at the new $600 million plant and entered the paint shop. Airbus announced the development at the Alabama facility on Wednesday with a message on Twitter: “1st aircraft now out of…
Alabama-built Elantra stars in Hyundai Super Bowl 50 ads
Hyundai is showcasing the features of its redesigned 2017 Alabama-built Elantra sedan in Super Bowl 50 commercials starring actor Ryan Reynolds and a pair of frightening but chatty bears. The two spots are part of a Super Bowl blitz by the automaker, which has produced a total of four commercials for Sunday’s game. Hyundai is…
Alabama-made Ridgeline Super Bowl 50 spot leads the flock
Honda is using a flock of sheep to sing the praises of the automaker’s all-new 2017 Alabama-made Ridgeline pickup in a 60-second commercial during Sunday’s Super Bowl 50. Honda this week offered a sneak peak of its “A New Truck to Love” spot featuring a talking dog and sheep singing the classic Queen tune “Somebody…
Alabama 2015 auto production tops 1 million, setting record
Alabama’s three global automakers combined to produce more than 1 million vehicles in 2015, the first time the state’s annual output has reached that big-league milestone. Mercedes-Benz, Honda and Hyundai produced a total of at least 1,033,095 vehicles last year, according to the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, a key player in the growth of…
Hyundai to add Santa Fe Sport to Alabama production lineup
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Hyundai said today it plans to add the Santa Fe Sport SUV to the production lineup at its Alabama plant, diversifying the product mix at a facility that turns out the automaker’s top-selling U.S. sedans. Hyundai will invest $52 million to begin producing the Santa Fe Sport at the Montgomery manufacturing facility,…
