WALTON, Ky. (April 23, 2013) — Messier-Bugatti-Dowty (Safran) announced Tuesday the expansion of its wheels and carbon brakes facility in Walton, Ky. in Northern Kentucky.
The expansion will add more than 40 percent surface to the existing carbon brake production facility footprint. This capacity has been added to accommodate the significant increase in the plant’s production volumes and refurbishment activities of carbon brake disks for the commercial and military aircraft industry. This $50 million investment is the facility’s sixth expansion since its opening in 1999.
With over 50 percent market share for commercial jets seating more than 100 passengers, Messier-Bugatti-Dowty is the world leader in carbon brakes. The company has launched a major program to expand its carbon production footprint, and the Walton expansion supports this growth.
“We are very pleased today to inaugurate the facility expansion in Walton. The plant is of one our core wheels and brakes manufacturing facilities, fully dedicated to North American military and commercial programs,” said Alain Sauret, chairman and CEO of Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.
Work on the new expansion began in December 2011, including the progressive installation of four state-of-the-art furnaces to handle the 50 percent increase of production volumes over the coming years.
The Messier-Bugatti-Dowty facility in Walton supports leading North American programs such as Boeing 737, 777 and 787, as well as military programs such as C-17 and KC 135. The capacity expansion should generate more than 10 percent growth in headcount.
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