Cirrus today celebrated the opening of its expanded manufacturing facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
The multi-million-dollar expansion provides the additional production capacity needed to optimize manufacturing flow, increase efficiency and support demand across the Cirrus product portfolio including the single-engine piston aircraft SR Series and Vision Jet.
The expanded facility enables an optimized production layout that streamlines the movement of composite parts throughout the manufacturing process. The enhanced workflow will improve manufacturing efficiency, and the additional footprint allows for improved automation capability, equipment integration with business systems, and workplace safety.
"This expansion reflects our continued investment in our people, our products, and the Grand Forks community," said Zean Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer at Cirrus. "By adding more than 30,000 square feet, creating new jobs, and enhancing our workplace for our team members, we're positioning Cirrus for continued growth. The strong partnerships we've built with the City of Grand Forks, the State of North Dakota, the Bank of North Dakota, and the University of North Dakota have given us the confidence to continue investing here, including making Grand Forks the location where we will manufacture composites for the new TRAC10 flight training aircraft."
Home to approximately 500 employees, the Grand Forks facility plays a critical role in Cirrus’ manufacturing operations, producing advanced composite parts that support aircraft production. Team members across manufacturing, engineering, safety and quality assurance, CNC machining, human resources and training contribute to the facility's success, with approximately 80 percent of the workforce dedicated to direct manufacturing operations.
The expansion addresses the growing need for additional manufacturing space as Cirrus aircraft demand continues to increase. The expansion also provides facility flexibility to better support the innovation process.
