Airbus Final Assembly Line – USA

HPM provided program management services for the development and implementation of the $600 million Airbus A320 Final Assembly Line program and the $350 million A220 Final Assembly Line at Brookley Aeroplex in Mobile, Alabama.

HPM’s responsibilities included planning and programming, management and procurement of all design, engineering, construction and commissioning services, as well as facility startup and maintenance activities. In addition to the two Final Assembly Line Hangars, HPM was responsible for four double-bay final phase/flightline hangars, a service building, multi-phased delivery center and logistics centers, two transshipment hangars, main gate, two gauging canopies, an off-site logistics building, canteen, and all associated infrastructure. HPM also provided oversight on multiple paint shops, a central utility plant and training center.

The assembly lines and associated facilities provide Airbus the capabilities to produce and deliver six of each aircraft family per month.

Airbus’ first US manufacturing facility embodied the ultimate in construction complexity with:

• International standards and company design standards
• Multiple stakeholders and project team members located throughout North America, Europe, and Asia
• Language and cultural differences
• Numerous contractors and designers
• Demanding schedule
• Strict funding limitations
• Poor existing site and soil conditions
• Project delivered by HPM four months early and nearly seven percent below budget

GUIDING TO SUCCESS THROUGH THE LANGUAGE OF LEADERSHIP
One of the most anticipated capital building programs in recent aviation history, Airbus entered North America with its first manufacturing facility on this continent in Mobile, Alabama, and as the first new manufacturer of commercial aircraft in the U.S. in 40 years. When Airbus considered the U.S., the executive management realized they needed a local expert to lead a monumental collaborative effort with an ambitious budget and schedule. Working with teams from Europe, Asia and North America, HPM found ways to meet the owners’ facility needs while maintaining a target for LEED Silver – which isn’t common for the local region and even less so in the industrial and manufacturing industry. Across time zones, despite language and cultural differences and under pressure to deliver a legacy project for a global company with myriad stakeholders and site partners, HPM implemented some of the most cutting edge technology in the construction business to aid design and construction teams throughout the entire process, saving countless hours in the office and in the field. The results provided our client with efficiency and effectiveness and set a new standard for our company and our industry.

DETAILS:

• Airbus 320 & 220 Final Assembly Line at Brookley Aeroplex
• Final phase/flightline hangar
• Service building
• Flightline delivery center
• Logistics center
• Transshipment hangar
• Main gate
• Gauging area

AWARDS:

• 2015 Project of the Year MACE (Mobile Area Council of Engineers)
• 2015 Quality Pavement Award AAPA (Alabama Asphalt Pavement Association)
• 2016 CMAA Capital Projects Symposium Presenter
• LEED Silver Certified