A Brazilian aerospace company is moving forward on a $70M expansion at AllianceTexas that will put it closer to major customers like Fort Worth-based American Airlines.
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Aircraft manufacturer Embraer started work this week on a maintenance and repair hangar at the Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport. That facility will grow the firm's U.S. capacity by 53% when it is finished in 2027, the Dallas Business Journal reported.
Embraer also converted a building at the airport into a maintenance hangar this summer. The new hangar will be constructed to accommodate up to five of Embraer’s next-generation E-Jet E2 aircraft, which are larger than the company’s existing E-Jet planes.
Fort Worth last year approved $1.2M in tax abatements over seven years for Embraer's expansion.
The company’s growth in the 27,000-acre AllianceTexas master-planned community in North Fort Worth — spearheaded by developer Hillwood — is part of a $500M initiative to expand across Texas and Florida.
American Airlines ordered 90 of Embraer’s E175 aircraft last year and secured purchase rights to expand that to 133 planes.
Delta, United and Alaska Airlines also use Embraer’s planes.
The company is in the hunt for a contract with the U.S. Air Force to provide air-to-air refueling services. If selected, Embraer could add 1,200 jobs in the U.S. to convert its existing tactical cargo plane.
Such an expansion could further impact the Fort Worth facilities. Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said in a release that Embraer's investment highlights the strength of the city's business environment and the talent of the local workforce.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a resolution in June designating Fort Worth as the aviation and defense capital of the state.
MTU Maintenance signed a 30-year lease at Alliance this summer. The German plane engine maintenance company plans to spend $120M to update its 462K SF building at 2100 Eagle Parkway and add 1,200 jobs.
Additionally, GE Aerospace is one of several companies expanding maintenance facilities near the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The aircraft engine maker donated to Tarrant County College as part of a $30M workforce development program to train 10,000 skilled workers.
Aerospace isn’t the only industry expanding at Alliance. Hillwood President Mike Berry, in an interview with DBJ, highlighted recent projects with Taiwanese tech giant Wistron InfoComm Corp. and television producer Taylor Sheridan.
Wistron plans to invest $761M in two facilities to manufacture components for Nvidia supercomputers.
Sheridan's SGS Studios, in collaboration with Paramount Television, opened a 450K SF studio campus at AllianceTexas that can accommodate up to four major motion picture or television projects filming simultaneously. Hillwood is also developing another area in Alliance that would add 300K SF for eight more soundstages.
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