Bell reorganises manufacturing
Bell plans to relocate several manufacturing programmes to 'optimise' the manufacturing capabilities at its various facilities, its parent company Textron announced on 19 May.
The company has relocated the final assembly of its Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopter to its Mirabel Assembly and Delivery Center in Canada with immediate effect.
Its facility in Lafayette, Louisiana in the US, which handled the Jet Ranger's final assembly before this, will now manage the cabin subassembly of the Bell 525 Relentless medium-lift helicopter. The subassembly work was previously done at the company's facility in Amarillo, Texas.
The modification work of the Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout UAV is also relocating to Lafayette from the Bell Helicopter facility in Ozark, Alabama. This relocation plan is not expected to impact the certification process for the Bell 505 or 525.
Bell Helicopter is closely working with Transport Canada to get the production certificate and type certification for the Bell 505 in 2016. Once certified, the Mirabel facility will start product and deliveries. The Bell 525 achieved its first flight on 1 July 2015, and certification is expected in 2017.
Mitch Snyder, president and CEO of Bell Helicopter, said: 'The relocation of these programmes will enable the company to optimise its manufacturing footprint across multiple sites, while maximising the core capabilities of each facility.
'Mirabel is a vital part of Bell Helicopter's long term growth strategy and this move confirms our commitment to our Mirabel workforce and infrastructure. We also remain committed to Louisiana, where we have received tremendous support from the state and local government.'
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