From
Letecia McClendon
Title
Resolution for the City to Nominate Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. to the Office of the Governor Economic Development and Tourism for Designation as a Qualified Business and Enterprise Zone Project
Presenter
Marty Wieder, Director of Economic Development
Recommended Action
Approve
Analysis
Bell Helicopter owns and operates a facility at 1700 North Highway 360 in Grand Prairie, where the company employs approximately 640 employees. According to the current business plan, Bell anticipates creating approximately 95 new jobs over the next five years at the Grand Prairie facility, in addition to maintaining its current headcount. The Drive Systems Center is the functional arm of Grand Prairie's Manufacturing Operations with the responsibility for providing Drive Systems for Bell Helicopter's product lines and spare parts support. Products produced by the Helicopter Drive Systems are hub assemblies, planetary gears transmissions, drive shafts, gear boxes, mid-wing gear boxes, prop-rotor gear boxes, and hub details.
Over the next five years, Bell anticipates spending approximately $14 million on upgrades and improvements at the Grand Prairie facility. Specifically, Bell is making a significant investment to modernize equipment and upgrade infrastructure at the Grand Prairie facility. Bell expects to spend approximately $8 million on the modernization of manufacturing equipment for the Bell 525 Relentless and Bell 429 product lines. The additional $6 million expenditure will be spent on plant improvements such as mechanical boiler and chiller loop upgrades, a waste water treatment system, HVAC unit replacement and a universal test stand for various product lines. These investments will improve the manufacturing process and allow Bell to remain a premier leader in the industry.
Their facility is not located in an Enterprise Zone; therefore, they will be committed to hiring 35% economically disadvantaged and enterprise zone residen...
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