GKN Aerospace-Alabama Fuel System will be doubling their work force after being awarded a multi-million dollar, life-of-program contract from Bell Helicopter.
“We are following up on the promises made to the city, county and state for their investment in this organization,” said Kasey Myers, General Manager for GKN Aerospace-Alabama Fuel System. “This is going to create somewhere between 20 and 30 jobs for the next 10-15 years. That is long-term, local job growth.”
GKN Aerospace – Alabama Fuel Systems will develop and supply crashworthy, state-of-the-art fuel tanks to be used for the new Bell 525 Relentless Super Medium helicopter.
“The recent contract win from Bell Helicopter demonstrates the outstanding quality of work done by GKN Aerospace,” said Tallassee Mayor Bobby Payne. “The number of employee is expected to increase over the next several months.”
According to Elmore County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Leisa Findley Payne (with ECEDA) was a part of recruiting GKN Aerospace to Alabama.
“Recruiting companies of this caliber would be difficult without good, strong, local leadership,” said Findley. “GKN Alabama continues to be a leader in the aerospace industry. In the three years they have been here, GKN Aerospace shown their commitment to the local community by growing and creating new job opportunities.”
These bespoke tanks will be manufactured using the company’s newly developed, lightweight fuel cell material.
Using this material, the company is able to produce fuel tanks that weigh less than comparable in-service tanks, and also meet the rigorous performance requirements for Technical Standing Order (TSO C80) and Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR27/29).
The Bell 525 Relentless units will be manufactured at the company’s Alabama Fuel Systems facility.
First deliveries of developmental units will be made to Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, TX later this year.
“AIDT is helping GKN recruit and train a smart, hard-working, talented workforce,” said Myers.
Today, GKN Aerospace is a market-leading fuel systems supplier providing full turnkey packages from fuel storage to engine feed, as well as flexible fuel bladders, crashworthy and self-sealing systems, rotationally moulded tanks and range extender tanks, incorporating ballistic protection and anti-slosh technology.
For the military market, the company’s self-seal fuel system technology provides up to 50 caliber round protection to all types of fuel containment devices.
GKN Aerospace has already been selected to supply key metallic and composite structures for the Bell 525 Relentless helicopter fuselage.
Two GKN Aerospace North American facilities, in St. Louis and Tallassee, are involved in this work package which includes the supply of composite and aluminum fuselage panels and structural parts for the cockpit, cabin and tailboom of the airframe.
“Our strength is the local worker, standing on the shoulders of a company that has existed for more than 250 years.” said Myers. “
Bell Helicopter is a key customer with GKN Aerospace supplying critical structures and systems for a number of Bell programs as well as for the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey.