A South Carolina aviation company plans to expand its operations to Georgia, adding 150 jobs in the Macon, Georgia, area.
The Macon Telegraph reports that Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems will take over a hangar at Middle Georgia Regional Airport left vacant by the departure of Bombardier. Stevens Aviation, based in Greenville, South Carolina, with additional facilities in Nashville, Tennessee, and Dayton, Ohio, offers parts, maintenance, and avionics for both private sector and government and military aircraft.
The central Georgia facility will reportedly support large-cabin aircraft operations. Stevens officials told the paper that the Greenville, South Carolina, facility was limited in its ability to handle larger aircraft. The nearby aircraft maintenance workforce, bolstered by the presence of Central Georgia Technical College, prompted the decision to move to Macon, Georgia.
Stevens General Manager David Crowder added that the rise in demand for large aircraft services, along with the size of the 48,000-square-foot hangar, meant that the company would be able to expand in Georgia in coming years. The initial three-year lease, the Telegraph noted, includes options for two five-year extensions.
Image credit: Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock.com