Piaggio Aerospace opened its aerospace center of excellence at Villanova d’Albenga, Italy, on Friday. The 31-acre site includes a 527,400-sq-ft plant where Piaggio will design, develop and manufacture its Avanti Evo turboprop twin, multirole patrol aircraft (MPA) based on the Avanti and remote-piloted P.1HH HammerHead surveillance and reconnaissance airplane.
“This is an extraordinary day for Piaggio Aerospace as we celebrate an event that is the end of one journey and the start of a new one,” said Piaggio Aerospace chairman Alberto Galassi. “The inauguration of this innovative plant is the finishing line of a journey that raises all of our standards, from manufacturing efficiency to product quality.”
According to Piaggio Aerospace CEO Carlo Logli, the $162 million center of excellence is “equal parts Italian, European and global.” From this manufacturing plant, he noted, “Piaggio Aerospace can drive toward a future with strong growth of its portfolio, investments in technologies and the confidence of our shareholders.” The company added that the new facility will allow it a continued role as a global brand in business aviation and an emerging world player in the defense and security sector.