JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – What started as a single building with 50 employees in 1980, Collins Aerospace has since grown its presence to include three facilities and nearly 500 employees.
On Thursday, Aug. 25, employees, representatives, leaders, and more came together to watch as they broke ground on their continued growth. The expansion includes 20,000 square-feet of additional manufacturing space and modernizes the site’s chemical processing and paint lines to meet their increased production needs, maximize operational efficiency, and improve site ergonomics.
VP & GM Brad Haselhorst spoke about the excitement surrounding the expansion and what it means for their organization.
Jamestown Mayor Dwaine Heinrich spoke the the longtime support and involvement Collins Aerospace has had with the city. He pointed out the continued changing landscape of the community and the constant Collins Aerospace has provided in their service.
He gave kudos to Collins Aerospace and the Jamestown Stutsman Development Corporation (JSDC) for the work behind the scenes to make the new 20,000 square-foot additional manufacturing space possible.
JSDC VP of Business Development Corry Shevlin says the work to get this project done started in 2018.
Shevlin says Collins Aerospace will be the first tenant of the Jamestown Aviation Park, adding that this will help them continue to be the largest private employer in Jamestown.
Tom Peterson, an employee of Collins Aerospace for 49 years, also spoke to the gathering, pointing out just how much as changed and grown in that time.
A shovel ceremony was then held with Peterson utilizing the shovel that was first used when Collins Aerospace first broke ground in Jamestown more than 50 years ago.
Jamestown is the headquarters for Collins Aerospace’s Cargo Systems portfolio, providing innovative solutions for the U.S. military and commercial aircraft around the globe.
