The United Kingdom’s largest private aerospace and defense business will invest $50 million and create 243 jobs at a maintenance and engineering facility at the Piedmont Triad Airport in Greensboro.
Marshall Aerospace, with headquarters in Cambridge, has operated for more than 100 years, including training more than 20,000 pilots in World War II and rebuilding and repairing more than 5,000 aircraft, including Boeing’s famous B-17 “Flying Fortress.” In the 1950s, the company was trusted to service Lockheed Martin’s Super Constellation aircraft.
Its subsidiary, Marshall USA, will support its current and future U.S. Armed Forces contracts, with Phase 1 comprising capacity to support six C-130 slots along with a paint facility, support shops, and office space at Piedmont Triad Airport.
Marshall Aerospace supports the British Armed Forces and also works with many allies, including the United States Marine Corps and its fleet of C-130 aircraft.
“We believe Greensboro is the ideal home of our U.S. Aerospace operations and are very grateful for the exceptional support and partnership we have received from Greensboro City Council and the state government of North Carolina,” Marshall Group CEO Kathy Jenkins stated in a release issued by the governor’s office. “We are excited to put over 55 years of C-130 experience to work in providing an unmatched standard of in-country support for existing and new US-based partners and customers.”
Marshall Aerospace’s project is eligible for a $2.37 million Job Development Investment Grant spread over 12 years, approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee on Tuesday. The incentives hinge on Marshall creating 243 new jobs and investing at least $33 million.
Because Marshall Aerospace chose a site in Guilford County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 2, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving $263,800 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund, which helps local governments finance necessary infrastructure upgrades.