LONDON, United Kingdom – Today, while attending the Farnborough Air Show, Governor Rick Scott announced that HAECO Americas will be expanding in Lake City, Florida and creating 400 new jobs. This project will bring a $2 million capital investment to Columbia County.
Governor Rick Scott said, “I am proud to announce today at the Farnborough Airshow that HAECO is expanding and creating 400 new jobs in Columbia County. We have worked hard to create a business-friendly environment so companies like HAECO can prosper in Florida.”
Located about 60 miles west of Jacksonville, HAECO Lake City has over 600,000 square feet of covered hangar space and more than 1.3 million sq. ft. of ramp area. The complex includes six hangars for airframe maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), as well as a dedicated, two-bay, strip and paint hangar.
Kip Blakely, HAECO Americas’ Vice President for Customer and Government Relations, said “HAECO Americas is delighted to have the opportunity to expand its capabilities and capacity in Columbia County. Lake City has been a great home for us for decades, and we are pleased to be able to expand the opportunities this creates for us and our customers in developing aviation talent in north Florida.”
The HAECO Lake City facility maintains the taxiways, parking ramps and engine run-up areas for the Lake City Airport. HAECO also maintains an FAA-approved control tower, which is staffed by FAA-certified controllers during daylight hours, providing all-weather operations.
Florida has long been the world’s premier gateway to space, the undisputed air traffic hub of the Americas, a major hub for flight training and MRO, and home to leading manufacturers of all types of aircraft and aircraft components. Florida is the birthplace of commercial aviation and is home to more than 100 public-use airports.
Executive Vice President and COO of Enterprise Florida Crystal Sircy said, “HAECO is a leader in the MRO industry and this expansion helps Florida solidify its position as the leading state for MRO. We appreciate HAECO’s continued commitment to the Lake City region and know they will continue to find the highly-skilled workforce they need to grow in the state.”
Partners in the expansion include Enterprise Florida, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Columbia County, City of Lake City, and CareerSource Florida.
Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “Florida is home to more than 2,000 aviation and aerospace companies, employing 80,000 workers across the state. HAECO’s expansion and the creation of 400 additional high-tech, high-wage jobs is great news for families in and around Lake City.”
Executive Director of Columbia County Economic Development Glenn J. Hunter said, “Lake City and Columbia County are proud of the progress and expansion HAECO Americas has brought and is continuing to bring to our community. We are especially excited for the job opportunities for our local citizens. We look forward to continued success and growth and are proud to be a partner.”
Lake City Gateway Airport Manager Roland C. Luster said, “The City of Lake City looks forward to continue working with HAECO in the development of the Lake City Gateway Airport. The HAECO facility expansion will help meet the current and future maintenance needs of the airline industry.”
CareerSource Florida President and CEO Chris Hart IV said, “HAECO’s expansion announcement is fantastic news for residents of Lake City and surrounding communities. The CareerSource Florida network stands ready to help meet the recruiting, hiring and training needs of HAECO and the many other businesses expanding in or relocating to Florida.”
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About HAECO Americas
HAECO Americas provides aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services and aerospace manufactured products to a broad array of commercial, government and private customers. HAECO Americas is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the HAECO Group, one of the largest global providers of MRO services and a leading provider of interiors products and services.
Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) is a partnership between Florida’s businesses and government leaders and is the principal economic development organization for Florida. EFI facilitates job growth through recruitment and retention, international trade and exporting, promotion of sporting events, and capital funding programs to assist small and minority businesses. EFI recently launched “Florida – The Future is Here” to promote the state as the nation’s premier business destination.
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