Spirit AeroSystems, the world’s largest independent supplier of aircraft assemblies and components, chose North Carolina’s Global TransPark as the site of its newest manufacturing plant and currently builds elements of the new Airbus A-350 XWB at the facility as well as wing components for the Gulfstream G250. In particular, Spirit designs and manufactures the Section 15 center fuselage frame section of the new Airbus, a composite structure that is approximately 65 feet long, 20 feet wide and weighs nearly 9,000 pounds. Accommodating this and other new work packages led to Spirit’s decision to locate in North Carolina.

At the time of the plant announcement in 2008, Spirit President and CEO Jeff Turner said, “The state of North Carolina met our requirements for financial incentives and this location offers a strong industrial base, a runway and port access, a growing labor force and an excellent technical training system. Additionally, the Global TransPark facility provided what we were looking for in a site.”

In July 2011, when the Gulfstream work package was announced, Dan Wheeler, Vice President and General Manager of the North Carolina site said, "This is the next step in our evolution in North Carolina and further diversifies the work being done at the Kinston site. We’ve enjoyed tremendous support from our North Carolina partners and look forward to executing on our two aircraft programs.”

The company is part of a growing aviation and aerospace cluster in the state, with more than 180 companies engaged in manufacturing for the industry.