MELBOURNE, Fla., Oct. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Embraer broke ground
today on its Legacy 500 and Legacy 450 assembly complex here in
Melbourne, Florida. At the
ceremony, which included Florida
Governor Rick Scott, Brevard County and city officials, the Company
celebrated this significant addition to its existing 212,000
square-foot campus at Melbourne
International Airport.
"With the support of Governor Scott together with his team at
Enterprise Florida, the Space
Coast Economic Development Commission, Brevard County, the City of Melbourne, and the Melbourne Airport
Authority, we are doubling the size of our Executive Jets campus in
the US with the addition of these game changing aircraft assembly
facilities to the already operational Phenom assembly line," said
Embraer President and Chief Executive Officer Frederico Fleury Curado. "Furthermore, our
recently inaugurated Embraer Engineering and Technology Center, the
first engineering center outside Brazil, shows the strong level of commitment
to our customers as well as our faith in this remarkable
community."
The new 236,000 square-foot facility is expected to be
operational by 2016. It will feature four new buildings: an
assembly hangar, a paint facility, a completion center and flight
preparation facility, and a new dedicated delivery center.
"Surpassing all original expectations during certification
tests, the clean sheet design Legacy 500 and Legacy 450 represent a
new, game changing generation of business aircraft," said
Marco Tulio Pellegrini, President
& CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. "With this state-of-art facility
at the heart of an important aeronautical center in the region and
the engagement of all stakeholders, we are very confident in the
future of these programs."
Embraer will add 600 new hires to its almost 400 employees in
the area in a ramped up mode over a period of four years beginning
in 2016.
Governor Scott said, "Embraer's creation of 600 jobs is great
news for Melbourne families and
the surrounding community. With the creation of 643,100 jobs since
December 2010, it's important that we
remain focused on continuing Florida's economic momentum. By removing the
sales tax on manufacturing equipment, Florida's businesses, like Embraer, will have
a more competitive advantage over other states and countries, which
will help businesses create more jobs for families."
"With addition of the Legacy final assembly and delivery
program, Embraer will double their presence at Melbourne International Airport (MLB) by
2016," said Greg Donovan,
Melbourne International Airport
Director. "The airport team is committed to an on-time
aircraft rollout that is under budget. As a leading aircraft
manufacturer, Embraer values the distinct advantages of our airport
infrastructure and will benefit from the competitive advantages of
being located in Florida's Space
Coast. Embraer's success exemplifies why MLB is the nation's
fastest growing aerospace and aviation manufacturing center."
"Today's major milestone takes us full circle, back to 2008,
when ground was broken on Embraer's first facility in Brevard. In six short years, Embraer has
developed a footprint in our community that has significantly
strengthened our standing as an aviation hub," said Lynda Weatherman, president and chief executive
officer, Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast. "This is a true
economic development success story, one that has paved the way for
growth in one of our community's most important sectors."
"While it was a community team that helped bring Embraer to the
Space Coast six years ago, it is our people who have helped keep
them here," said Mary Bolin Lewis,
District 4 commissioner and chairman of the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners.
"How fitting that many years later, we are once again welcoming
Embraer to the community. Instead of welcoming them for the first
time, we are welcoming them back home. The third time is just as
exciting as the first."
"The Legacy assembly facility is the kind of coveted project
every city hopes to land. Embraer is the high caliber corporate
partner every city hopes will call their city home," said
City of Melbourne mayor
Kathy Meehan. "Our city is proud to
be home to Embraer and we congratulate them on their continued
growth here."
"Brevard County has long had an
environment conducive to business growth, and to bolster that, we
have a workforce that consists of highly technical, skilled
individuals." Said Senator Thad
Altman, Florida State Senate District 16. "We have
successfully been able to market our pro-business climate and
talent as assets to not only attract a world-class company like
Embraer, but to foster even more growth. This is a testament to the
level of ingenuity that exists in our community."
Secretary of Commerce and president & CEO of Enterprise Florida, Inc., Gray Swoope attended the event and spoke about
Embraer's impact on the state. "I want to thank Embraer for their
continued investment in Florida.
This expansion is a testament to the state's business climate and
location as a global leader in aviation. This highly sought after
expansion is especially important as it will create additional
opportunities for suppliers in the aerospace and aviation industry.
We look forward to Embraer's continued growth."
Follow us on Twitter: @EmbraerSA
Note to Editors
Embraer S.A. (NYSE: ERJ; BM&FBOVESPA: EMBR3) is the world's
largest manufacturer of commercial jets up to 130 seats, and one of
Brazil's leading exporters.
Embraer's headquarters are located in Sao Jose dos Campos,
Sao Paulo, and it has offices,
industrial operations and customer service facilities in
Brazil, China, France, Portugal, Singapore, and the U.S. Founded in 1969, the
Company designs, develops, manufactures and sells aircraft and
systems for the commercial aviation, executive aviation, and
defense and security segments. It also provides after sales support
and services to customers worldwide. For more information, please
visit www.embraer.com.br.
This document may contain projections, statements and
estimates regarding circumstances or events yet to take place.
These projections and estimates are based largely on current
expectations, forecasts of future events and financial trends that
affect Embraer's businesses. Those estimates are subject to risks,
uncertainties and suppositions that relate to, among others:
general economic, political and trade conditions in Brazil and in those markets where Embraer does
business; expectations of industry trends; the Company's investment
plans; its capacity to develop and deliver products on the dates
previously agreed upon, and existing and future governmental
regulations. The words "believe", "may", "is able", "will be able",
"intend", "continue", "anticipate", "expect" and other similar
terms are intended to identify potentialities. Embraer does not
undertake to publish updates nor to revise any estimates due to new
information, future events or any other facts. In view of the
inherent risks and uncertainties, such estimates, events and
circumstances may not take place. The actual results may therefore
differ substantially from those previously published as Embraer
expectations.
CONTACTS:
Headquarters (Brazil)
Rosana Dias
rosana.dias@embraer.com.br
Cell: +55 12 9724 4929
Tel.: +55 12 3927 1311
Fax: +55 12 3927 2411
North America
Robert Stangarone
rstangarone@embraer.com
Cell: +1 954 260 9939
Tel.: +1 954 359 3101
Fax: +1 954 359 4755
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Herve Tilloy
herve.tilloy@embraer.fr
Cell: +33 6 0864 3545
Tel.: +33 1 4938 4530
Fax: +33 1 4938 4456
China
Mirage Zhong
mirage.zhong@bjs.embraer.com
Cell: +86 138 1191 8053
Tel.: +86 10 6598 9988
Fax: +86 10 6598 9986
Asia Pacific
Nilma Missir-Boissac
Nilma.boissac@sin.embraer.com
Cell: +65 9012 8428
Tel.: +65 6305 9955
Fax: +65 6734 3908
SOURCE Embraer S.A.