Marshall engineers 3-D print copper rocket part in NASA milestone
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – NASA engineers at Alabama’s Marshall Space Flight Center have produced the first full-scale, copper rocket part using additive manufacturing – a milestone for aerospace 3-D printing. The part is a combustion chamber liner that must operate at extreme conditions during flight. In fact, temperatures on the inside of the paper-thin copper liner…
Alabama aims to expand role in aerospace supply chain
DECATUR, Alabama – Companies that produce carbon fiber and specialty alloys for aircraft manufacturers have invested more than $1.7 billion in their Alabama facilities, making the state a growing player in the aerospace supply chain. Toray, the largest producer of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibers, operates a Decatur plant that houses one of the world’s biggest…
GE Aviation readies first 3-D printed jet engine nozzle at Alabama plant
AUBURN, Alabama — GE Aviation is turning its facility in Auburn into the world’s first factory for 3-D printed jet engine fuel nozzles, landing the Alabama plant a starring role in a technology that promises to revolutionize aerospace manufacturing. GE Aviation, one of the world’s top aircraft engine producers, announced plans to introduce high-volume production of…
Airbus ships first major aircraft components to Alabama factory
MOBILE, Alabama — Airbus announced today that A320 Family aircraft production in the U.S. is on schedule to begin this summer as large components for the first Alabama-produced aircraft departed today from the port in Hamburg, Germany, bound for Mobile. The major component assemblies consist of the wings produced in the U.K., the rear fuselage…
2016 Honda Pilot joins ranks of new Alabama-made autos
LINCOLN, Alabama – Amid the cheers of celebrating workers, Honda launched mass production of its redesigned 2016 Pilot sport utility at the company’s Alabama plant – the latest in a flurry of new or re-engineered models emerging from the state’s automakers. “It’s an exciting day for all of team members in Alabama,” Jeff Tomko, president…
Hyundai marks 10 years of production in Alabama
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Exactly 10 years ago today, former President George H.W. Bush took the stage at Hyundai’s new Alabama plant for a splashy grand opening ceremony. Chairman M.K. Chung was on hand for the celebration, along with top state officials. At one point, Korean pop sensation Elec Cookie delivered a rendition of Oh Susanna,…
Honda launches new automated engine assembly line in Alabama
LINCOLN, Alabama – A new $71.4 million engine assembly facility at Honda’s Alabama plant is so advanced that its 250 workers and 92 robots can turn out 1,500 V-6 engines per day, thanks to automated systems that can handle tasks such as assembling and installing pistons. The sophisticated new engine line at Honda’s facility in…
‘Job 1’ marks GLE Coupé launch at Mercedes Alabama plant
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – Workers at Mercedes-Benz’s sprawling Alabama assembly plant celebrated “Job 1” today, signaling the start of mass production of the all-new GLE Coupé at the $4.5 billion facility. Mercedes has called 2015 “The Year of the SUV” for the brand, with the launch of the GLE Coupé and a renewal of most of…
Mercedes M-Class gets new name, look at New York Auto Show debut
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – The vehicle that launched Alabama’s auto industry – the Mercedes-Benz M-Class – is getting a new name and a new look that will be unveiled at the New York International Auto Show. To become known as the GLE, the Alabama-made sport utility vehicle family also is getting a new member: a plug-in…
Lockheed Martin jump starts Alabama expansion, adding 240 jobs
TROY, Alabama — Governor Robert Bentley today announced that Alabama has partnered with Lockheed Martin to add an additional 240 employees by 2020 at the company’s Pike County Operations facility in Troy. “Lockheed Martin has been a strong employer in Pike County for 20 years, and today we celebrate the announcement of an enhanced partnership that…
