The Sault Ste. Marie Airport is embarking on a major expansion of its hangar space to allow its primary tenant, aircraft maintenance provider JD Aero, to expand its services.
The $5.8-million project will allow JD Aero to expand their existing footprint by 10,000 square feet to more than 80,000 square feet. JD Aero provides maintenance, repair and overhaul services for aircraft. This marks the company’s third expansion in under a decade.
To date, the hangar expansion project has received $250,000 from the city’s Economic Development Fund, and $1.8 million from the province, an announcement that was made on April 27.
JD Aero recently secured two new clients, WestJet and Horizon, and the expansion will better allow them to serve these clients, in addition to attracting new clients.
“JD Aero has quickly expanded at the Sault Airport to become a cornerstone tenant for the SSMADC growing from three employees to over 100 employees in less than 10 years,” said Terry Bos, president and CEO of the Sault Ste. Marie Airport Development Corporation (SSMADC), in a release.
“This further expansion would not be possible without the assistance of the NOHFC in making the project affordable for the SSMADC and JD Aero, and will allow JD Aero to meet the needs of their ever-expanding client list and attract more aircraft to Sault Ste. Marie for service work.”
This expansion is expected to create 25 new jobs, bringing JD Aero’s employee count to 110 full-time and part-time positions.
