Gulfstream Announces Major Appleton MRO Expansion

Gulfstream Aerospace is undertaking a $40 million, 180,000-sq-ft expansion of its Appleton (Wisconsin) International Airport (KATW) maintenance and completion center that is expected to add 50 percent more capacity, create 200 new jobs, and push total employment at the location to more than 1,000, the company announced on Friday. Construction is expected to start in May, with operations beginning in the second quarter of 2019.

The new facility will be located northeast of the airport and include a hangar, offices, back shops, and support space. Gulfstream's existing Appleton headcount totals 820 and present space is 315,000 sq ft. Gulfstream has operated at Appleton since 1998 as part of its then-$250 million acquisition of K-C Aviation and has expanded its presence at the airport several times, since.

“This is the most significant expansion we’ve had in Appleton in the nearly 20 years we’ve been there,” said Gulfstream product support president Derek Zimmerman. “The demand for our service business is growing.”

Wisconsin exempts aviation parts and maintenance from its 5 percent state sales tax, and Gulfstream officials acknowledged that this was a factor in their decision to expand at Appleton. In 2017, Gulfstream Appleton employees completed 582 aircraft visits. The expansion comes just as the company's new G500 and G600 are coming to market.