Australian Aerospace Engineering (AAE) has opened a new 1900 m² maintenance, repair and overhaul facility adjacent to Albury Airport, expanding the company's capacity for complex maintenance and manufacturing work.
The purpose-built site brings together aircraft maintenance, component overhaul, non-destructive testing, machining, manufacturing, spare parts storage and specialist surface treatment, and includes a semi-downdraft heated spray booth and adjoining helipad to support medium and large helicopter operations.
Member for Albury Justin Clancy MP officiated at the opening on 25 August.
"Opening this new site represents the next chapter in the AAE story, a story built over more than 20 years through technical expertise, hard work, enduring partnerships, and a commitment to doing the job well for our customers," AAE Chief Executive Officer Adam Johnston said.
"This new facility gives our people the space and resources to take on more complex work and deliver outstanding solutions for our customers."
The Australian-owned company has grown from a three-person family business to a 14-strong team over two decades, supporting the Australian Defence Force and Defence primes including Lockheed Martin Australia, Sikorsky Australia, Pilatus Australia and BAE Systems, alongside commercial customers such as Qantas, McDermott Aviation, LifeFlight and Regional Express.
Clancy said the opening was "a fantastic outcome for Albury, creating opportunities for highly skilled local jobs and demonstrating what regional Australian businesses can achieve in advanced aerospace and Defence Industries."
AAE expects the facility to support multiple new engineering roles over the next five years, with the site also underpinning more than 150 suppliers and partnerships with education and training providers.