Plane Maker Opens New Brevard Plant
Monday, February 21, 2011
By: Tom Parkinson

February 21, 2011 | WMFE - Political and business leaders on Florida's Space Coast are hailing the opening of a new aircraft factory in Melbourne. They say it shows that high tech companies are eager to invest in the area and employ some of the thousands of workers expected to be laid off as NASA's shuttle program comes to an end.

Governor Rick Scott and US Sen. Bill Nelson both spoke at the ribbon cutting this morning for the Embraer Corporation’s $41 million dollar aircraft manufacturing complex in Melbourne.
Both leaders said the move illustrates that Florida is a good place to do business and both predicted that other companies would follow Embraer to the Space Coast.
Embraer officials say they expect to hire at least 200 skilled workers to assemble the lightweight jets it will produce at the new facility at Melbourne International Airport.          
Officials from the Brazilian company say they chose to locate the new assembly plant in Melbourne, in part, to take advantage of the highly skilled aerospace workforce near Kennedy Space Center.                                                                                               

Several thousand workers are being laid off at KSC as NASA's shuttle program comes to an end.
Two other aviation manufacturers have also announced plans recently to open new facilities in Melbourne.