News

Polaris Alabama facility begins producing Rangers, Slingshots
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Polaris Industries has launched vehicle production at a state-of-the-art new factory in north Alabama that’s projected to provide a major economic boost to the region. Polaris Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Scott Wine announced the production launch in a company statement on Wednesday, saying the Huntsville factory began turning out Ranger off-road…

Alabama aerospace rivals compete at Farnborough
LONDON – Alabama’s economic development team at this week’s Farnborough International Airshow faced plenty of competition from other states seeking to make connections leading to new aerospace investment and jobs. The “Made In Alabama” booth, sponsored by the Alabama Department of Commerce and its partners, served as the nerve center of the state’s mission at…

NASA’s Alabama hub simulates space hazards to advance exploration
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Inside Building 4605 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, there’s a portal to space and all of its extreme conditions. It’s called the High Intensity Solar Environment Test system, or HISET. NASA says the device’s chamber is the only place on earth where spacecraft systems and materials can, at the same time,…

Airbus links with Alabama universities to build new leaders
One of the ways Airbus is putting down roots in Alabama is through partnerships with local universities that aim to help shape the next generation of industry leaders. The aerospace giant has donated large airplane components to engineering departments at the University of South Alabama and Auburn University for students and faculty members to use…

Alabama aerospace exports rising as industry grows in region
LONDON — As aerospace companies continue to grow their operations in Alabama, their shipments of local products sent around the world are also on the rise. In 2015, Alabama’s aerospace industry exports topped $869 million, a 16 percent growth from the previous year, U.S. trade data shows. So far this year, the numbers are increasing…

Boeing Alabama research center targets ‘next 100 years of innovation’
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — Boeing’s history in Alabama spans more than half a century, and one of its latest projects in the state is helping to chart the aerospace giant’s future. The Boeing Research and Technology Center, which opened a year ago in Huntsville, serves as a key hub for the company’s technology development. Announced in…

Mobile Aeroplex pursues growth strategy at Farnborough
LONDON — At Mobile Aeroplex, the home of Airbus’ U.S. passenger jet production center, the steel frame of a twin-bay aircraft paint shop is beginning to rise, a project that will add a new element to the complex’s growing aerospace cluster. At another site being redeveloped at the Aeroplex, an intermodal company days ago announced…

2016 Farnborough Airshow displays latest aircraft (photo gallery)
LONDON — The Farnborough International Airshow is one of the biggest events on the global aerospace industry calendar, a recognized platform for deal-making and relationship-building that drives billions of dollars in transactions. The 2014 installment of the air show saw deals valued at more than $200 million, and this year’s event is likely to follow…

SES Alabama operation expanding rapidly as MRO business grows
LONDON — Science and Engineering Services Inc. is well under way with a major expansion of its Alabama operations, a $70 million, 450-job project announced two years ago during the Farnborough International Airshow in London. Today, as world aerospace industry leaders and others — including an economic development team from Alabama, led by Governor Robert…

German auto supplier Gerhardi picks Alabama for first U.S. plant
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – At a groundbreaking ceremony today, German auto supplier Gerhardi Kuntstofftechnik announced plans to invest $37.9 million and create 235 jobs in Montgomery to create its first North American manufacturing facility. “This is a great opportunity for Gerhardi, and we are very excited,” Gerhardi Managing Director Reinhard Hoffman said. “Montgomery Industrial Park offers…


