New Airbus Factory Brings Rivalry to Boeing’s Turf

Airbus hopes its new manufacturing facility in Mobile, Ala. will help it better compete with Boeing for a share of the U.S. market.

Airbus is taking its battle with Boeing behind enemy lines, building aircraft at the new $600 million production facility in Mobile, Ala. The factory, which officially opened Monday and is expected to produce around 48 single-aisle A321 per year by 2018, will supply planes primarily for North American carriers. Boeing has traditionally out-performed its European rival in this arena, capturing nearly 80 percent of the U.S. market.

Airbus officials are making no secret that the move is intended to make inroads on Chicago-based Boeing’s home turf. ”Our first U.S. facility has been years in the making,” said Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégier. “It is the most significant, game-changing incident in U.S. aerospace in decades.”

Airbus’ new manufacturing facility is the first of its kind in the U.S. and only the second plant of this type outside of Europe. A recently opened Airbus facility in Tianjin, China is also producing single-aisle A321. The demand for single-aisle planes is expected to skyrocket in coming years, with Chinese and U.S. airlines driving that demand.

Airbus is betting its first made in America jets will help make the company’s planes more popular with U.S. airlines. “We’re producing on American ground a European product with American people,” said Timo Zaremba, who oversees the quality of product at Airbus’ Mobile facility.

That American workforce at the Mobile plant is expected to swell from 260 to upwards of 1,000 as Airbus steadily ramps up production.

[Photos: Airbus]