Bell Helicopter and Cessna Break Ground on New Service Facility in Singapore

Bell Helicopter and Cessna Aircraft Company, both Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) companies, broke ground today on a new facility dedicated to service and support for customers in the Asia-Pacific region.

The facility is expected to be complete in the second quarter of 2012 and when fully operational, the facility will employ approximately 90 technicians and office workers.

The new facility in Singapore will replace and augment the existing Bell Helicopter Supply Center and strengthen the company’s sales presence in Asia-Pacific, as well as add parts distribution and maintenance capabilities for Cessna operators in the region. Encompassing more than 25,700 square meters (84,300 square feet), the facility includes more than 48,700 square meters (160,000 square feet) of hangar, office, and storage and maintenance space.

Serving as the companies’ regional sales and service center for Asia-Pacific, the expansion will include full service centers for both Bell Helicopter and Cessna and will provide a full range of capability including aircraft sales, technical support, spare parts distribution, maintenance, overhaul, refurbishment, completions and customizing, as well as Bell Helicopter  training for both maintenance and flight training.    

This service expansion is one of many in which the two companies have partnered. In the past year, Bell Helicopter and Cessna have collaborated on regional parts distribution centers, maintenance centers and service facilities in Amsterdam, Netherlands; Prague, Czech Republic and Valencia, Spain. Additional collaborations are expected to be announced later this year.