Continental plans $60M upgrade

MOBILE, Ala. -- Continental Motors will spend more than $60 million on a new facility at the Mobile Aeroplex, the company announced Monday. The plan is not expected to have an impact on the size of the Mobile-area workforce, currently just over 400 employees in Mobile and around 30 in Fairhope. President and CEO Rhett Ross said groundbreaking on the 225,000-square foot facility will be this summer at the intersection of Broad Street and Michigan Avenue. It will be fully operational by the end of 2019. Continental and parent company AVIC International Holding Corp., of China, will spend up to $30 million developing the new site, and about $40 milllion on new manufacturing equipment for the building, which also will house the global business headquarters. Continental, which makes piston and turbine engines for light, general aviation aircraft, looked at other sites before deciding to stay in Mobile. It currently has operations at 11 buildings at its 44-acre campus. It will retain one of those buildings. (Source: al.com, 03/27/17)