Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2023 Digital Issue
Gulfstream has announced a further expansion of operations at its completions facility at St. Louis Downtown Airport (KCPS) in Cahokia, Illinois. Coming on the heels of last year’s expansion at the center, this latest $28.5 million improvement is a result of the airframer’s tax credits through the Illinois Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) program. The agreement calls for significant capital investment by Gulfstream, resulting in the addition of 200 jobs and the retention of nearly 500 positions.
Through the introduction of new equipment and tooling, the facility—one of the airframer’s major completion centers along with the company headquarters in Savannah, Georgia; Appleton, Wisconsin; and Dallas, Texas—will have a greater capacity for exterior aircraft painting, cabin furniture installations, avionics integrations, and other tasks required for customer deliveries straight from the KCPS location. When completed, the facility’s footprint will total more than 642,000 sq ft.
This latest round of growth will also add career opportunities for skilled labor in avionics, interior installations, structures, and testing, along with procurement, parts management, customer service, and engineering. To help fill that demand, the manufacturer is partnering with local educational institutions including East St. Louis Senior High School, Cahokia High School, and the Center for Academic & Vocational Excellence in Belleville, Illinois.
“As we continue to experience extraordinary demand, we are implementing strategic investments in our people and places,” said Gulfstream President Mark Burns, who added that St Louis has a deep aviation history. “We look forward to offering these expanded capabilities to Gulfstream customers from around the world, so they can experience firsthand the region’s talented workforce and artisans.”
