More Than 1,000 New Jobs (That Were Supposed To Be US-Based) Expected To Be Added Over Three Years

And so the excuses keep piling up. The thousand plus jobs that were promised years ago to California workers are now going to Mexico... after a series of errors, mix-ups and false statements that defy comprehension.  Co-Production International (CPI) has announced the start of hiring for ICON Aircraft's job openings in Tijuana for its new 300,000 square foot facility opening this November. ICON Aircraft, a faltering ten-year old amphibious sport plane manufacturer based in Vacaville, California, recently announced that it will manufacture composite airframe components for its A5 aircraft in Mexico after admitting that it failed to do so years after promising to accomplish the same in its CA plant. The 'expansion' of operations is expected to generate approximately $150 million in economic impact in the area over the next ten years and more than 1,000 new jobs over the next three years.

"ICON is currently searching for top talent nationally, including manufacturing engineers, industrial engineers, and composite specialists experienced with sophisticated parts, as well as key players for support functions like HR, Materials and Finance. Most of the professional staff will be Mexican hired. The early hires will be bilingual since they are expected to work with their counterparts in our US assembly facility," said Thomas Wieners, ICON's VP of Manufacturing.

Already home to major aerospace players such as Gulfstream, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, Eaton and UTC Aerospace Systems, Tijuana claims to be Mexico's leading aerospace manufacturing hub. The northern border city boasts the highest concentration of aerospace and defense operations in the country and over fifty years' experience in the high tech processes demanded by the aerospace manufacturing industry.

"ICON is committed to being an employer of choice in Baja California. Additionally, ICON will leverage this location to develop Mexican business partners and qualified suppliers for other aircraft components." Wieners said. "The manufacturing processes include composite layup, bonding, bodywork, and paint, working mostly with pre-preg carbon fiber. We will hire a few dozen direct labor this year. The initial direct labor hires will have some composite production experience and will be further trained in ICON's production methods and quality standards. These initial composite operators will provide leadership and training as we grow the direct labor force to over 1,000 at this facility."

After years of disappointments, canceled orders, false promises and an embarrassing string of failures, few industry experts, with true insight into such operations, expect the operation to succeed without a great deal more investment (so much so, that the ability of the company to recoup its investment seems much in doubt), and some significant changes in leadership. We'll keep you informed...

(Source: Co-Production news release. Images from file)

FMI: www.buscoempleo.mx