MOBILE, Ala. – Sept. 14, 2025 – On Sunday, September 14, Airbus’s U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama proudly marked its 10-year anniversary, celebrating a decade of commercial aircraft manufacturing in the United States.

2015 Airbus US Manufacturing Facility

Starting with around 300 employees in 2015, the site has grown into a cornerstone of America’s aerospace industry, employing more than 2,000 people and producing A320 and A220 Family aircraft.

“What began as a vision has evolved into something truly special, creating thousands of jobs, fostering generational careers, and driving substantial economic growth – not just in Mobile – but across the region,” said Daryl Taylor, Airbus’s Senior Vice President of Commercial Aircraft Operations in the U.S. “I could not be more proud of our team.”

Airbus’s growth in Mobile has been rapid and transformative. The company has expanded its footprint from 116 acres to 190 acres and delivered hundreds of aircraft to customers in the U.S. and Latin America, starting with JetBlue’s A321 “BluesMobile” in 2016. But beyond the numbers, employees who have been part of the journey since the beginning reflect on what the last 10 years have meant to them personally.

2025 Airbus Site Construction Aerials – 2nd A320 Assembly Line

Steve Franklin, Senior Director of Plant Production Support, remembers the early days when the team was small and close-knit. “Chances are, you knew everyone’s children and dogs’ names, too,” he said. He recalls the first A320 parts arriving in a Mardi Gras-style parade as “an amazing moment,” followed by the excitement of the first delivery: “When that first aircraft took its first flight – just to see that aircraft lift its wheels up off the ground was incredible.” A320 Quality Inspector Bryan Nixon said the mission has always been personal. “This was a chance to prove to the world what my home could do and the things the people of Alabama could accomplish,” he said. “I know that our product is going to enable families to come together, people to make memories, to create bonds and reinforce bonds for at least the next 25 years.” Stephanie Burt, Head of Human Resources, remembers starting at Airbus in 2013, when the facility was expected to employ only a few hundred people. “I never imagined that just 10 years, 2,000 employees and three assembly lines later, we’d have the opportunity to grow so big,” she said. She said Airbus offers not just jobs, but “generational careers that will change people’s lives and their family dynamic for decades to come.”

That excitement about the future is echoed by Shehan Correa, Head of the Structures Engineering Team. “The city continues to grow into a major aerospace hub, adding new jobs in our community and continued advancement opportunities for employees,” he said. “If we’ve come this far in 10 years, I can’t even begin to imagine what we could be in 20 to 30 years.”

Looking ahead, Airbus plans to inaugurate its second A320 final assembly line in October, further increasing production capacity and reinforcing Mobile’s role in commercial aircraft manufacturing. The expansion builds on the foundation of skilled employees, a growing supplier network and a thriving local economy.