Figeac breaks ground on $20 million expansion (+video)

Figeac-Aero on Friday broke ground on an expansion project to its northeast Wichita manufacturing facility and construction of a North American headquarters building.

The company, 9313 E. 39th St. North, plans to add 70,000 square feet of manufacturing space and build a 68,000-square-foot building next to its manufacturing facility.

The project cost is estimated at more than $20 million.

In Wichita, the France-based company manufactures parts for Airbus, Bombardier, Triumph, Gulfstream, Embraer and Spirit AeroSystems.

In April, the Wichita City Council voted 5-1 to approve a $250,000 forgivable loan, a five-year abatement of property taxes and industrial revenue bonds to abate sales taxes for the project. That followed a 3-2 vote last December by the Sedgwick County Commission to approve a $250,000 loan to Figeac-Aero to entice it to make Wichita its North American headquarters.

The company also expects to hire 200 more workers in Wichita over the next five years.

A company official told The Eagle in April that the expansion and headquarters addition was expected to be completed in 2016.

Figeac-Aero entered Wichita in May 2015 through its acquisition of Sonaca NMF Wichita.

This story was originally published October 23, 2015 at 10:35 AM with the headline "Figeac breaks ground on $20 million expansion (+video)."