Gulfstream Aerospace has officially opened its new paint hangar at Appleton International airport in Wisconsin, also home to a Gulfstream service centre and a large-cabin completions facility. The expansion is part of a multi-year plan announced in 2021 that provides customers the flexibility to experience the entire aircraft completions process in Appleton. This strategic growth has significantly increased operations and created more than 200 jobs in the region.

“This latest expansion in Appleton is another example of our continued investment in people and facilities as we expand to meet the demands of the growing Gulfstream fleet,” says president Mark Burns. “Our customers already benefit from the quality and craftsmanship of our aircraft completions work and the unrivalled support we offer in Appleton. The opening of this new paint hangar means that we can provide even more convenience and options to Gulfstream customers.”

The custom-designed, 73,000sq ft/6,782sqm facility has the capacity to complete the exterior paint process for up to 48 aircraft per year and represents an investment of more than $55 million. The hangar uses a proprietary paint booth design developed by Gulfstream in conjunction with Wisconsin-based paint booth manufacturer Global Finishing Solutions.

In 2019, Gulfstream customer support expanded operations at the Appleton service centre, opening a new 190,000sq ft/17,652sqm facility, an investment of approximately $40 million that increased maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities and included a new showroom to give customers greater access to Gulfstream's design portfolio.

Other recent Gulfstream facility investments include a new aircraft completions centre at St Louis Downtown airport in Cahokia Heights, Illinois; new repair and overhaul shops at the Farnborough service centre in the UK; and an all-new service centre at Fort Worth Alliance airport in Fort Worth, Texas. Service centre expansions are also underway in Mesa, Arizona and Savannah, Georgia.