Aircraft manufacturer Bombardier’s Northern Ireland operations have been sold to US firm Spirit AeroSystems.
Bombardier employs more than 3,500 people in Northern Ireland, primarily in East Belfast, and is the country’s largest high-tech manufacturer.
The Canadian-owned multi-national is reorganising its business to focus on business aircraft and trains.
Kansas-based Spirit supplies Boeing and Airbus plane manufacturers.
The wings for the Airbus A220 are made at Bombardier’s Belfast plant.
Michael Ryan, chief operations officer Aerostructures at Bombardier Aviation, said: “Through this agreement with Bombardier, we are delighted that Spirit, a global, tier-one aerostructure manufacturer and supplier, has recognised our unique offering and growth potential. We look forward to an exciting future ahead.”
The deal is worth just over 1 billion USD.
Spirit is also buying a Bombardier factory in Morocco in north Africa and a repair centre in the US.
Spirit AeroSystems president and chief executive officer Tom Gentile said: “The Bombardier operations bring world-class engineering expertise to Spirit and add to a strong track record of innovation, especially in advanced composites.
“Belfast has developed an impressive position in business jet fuselage production, in addition to the world-acclaimed fully integrated A220 composite wing.
“This acquisition is in line with our growth strategy of increasing Airbus content, developing low-cost country footprint, and growing our aftermarket business.”
The business is a global player in aerostructures and fabrication, its new owner said, delivering composite and metallic wing components, nacelles, fuselages and tail assemblies, along with high-value mechanical assemblies made out of aluminium, titanium and steel.
The transaction, which is expected to close in the first half of next year, is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
Spirit AeroSystems said it expected to make around 60 million US dollars savings from the acquisition.
Bombardier is based in Montreal and has more than 68,000 employees in 28 countries.
It employed thousands across several locations in Northern Ireland, east Belfast, Newtownabbey, Dunmurry and Newtownards near Belfast over the last 30 years.
Unite the union assistant general secretary Steve Turner said: “Today’s deal will see Bombardier’s footprint here transfer as a whole to one of the world’s largest independent producers of aerostructures.”
Susan Fitzgerald, Unite regional co-ordinating officer, said the workers and the skills base they possess are world class and offer any prospective owner a huge platform for future growth.
Business minister Nadhim Zahawi described the deal as “a great endorsement of our incredible aerospace industry”, adding: “The Belfast factory builds great wings for Airbus.”
Last year, Bombardier survived the threatened imposition of huge US tariffs on its cutting-edge and ultra-economical planes following a complaint from rival manufacturer Boeing.
It has significantly reduced its workforce at the wing-making plant in Belfast.
East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson said: “Bombardier is absolutely integral to Northern Ireland and since the partnership with Airbus there has been an upturn in orders for the A220 planes.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said this is “great news” for Northern Ireland and said the Belfast plant is “one of the most important aerospace facilities in the United Kingdom”.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here