Airbus A321neo
The longest-fuselage member of Airbus’ highly efficient A320neo (new engine option) Family is the A321neo. Credit: © Airbus.

Airbus has revealed plans to increase production of its A320 family aircraft at its manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama, US.

The expansion is in line with the company’s efforts to increase its industrial presence in the country.

In 2021, the manufacturer is planning to achieve a production rate of 63 A320 family aircraft a month. The company will begin increasing the number of aircraft manufactured to seven a month by early next year.

Along with continued recruitment for the A220 manufacturing team, this move will see the addition of 275 jobs at the Alabama-based facility in the coming year.

The company will also invest $40m for an extra support hangar, taking its investment in the facility to exceed $1bn.

Airbus Americas chairman and CEO C Jeffrey Knittel said: “This increase in commercial aircraft production in Mobile is an exciting expansion of our significant industrial investment in the US, and it continues Airbus’ positive contribution to American aerospace.

“We look forward to building on that strong relationship with our neighbours. This goes beyond jobs to include our support of education initiatives and future workforce development that will positively impact the community for decades to come along the Gulf Coast.”

Besides the Mobile facility, Airbus operates 38 locations in 16 US states with 4,000 employees.

Airbus started association with the Gulf Coast community in 2005 to support operators of the C212 and CN235 tactical transports. In 2007, the company launched an engineering centre in Mobile.

The city is now its first commercial aircraft manufacturing facility in the US.

Airbus is also planning to unveil its new final assembly line for the A220, which will deliver the first US-manufactured A220 this year.