October 7, 2011
By Chris Stewart
WESTFIELD, MA (WSHM) –
The sound of a jet engine is typical in Westfield.
Following corporate jet maker Gulfstream’s announcement Friday, those on the ground can expect to hear it even more.
Gov. Deval Patrick and Gulfstream announced the company is making a $23 million investment in their Westfield facility.
“It doubles the size of the facility,” Patrick said, “and the size of the workforce.”
The project to build a new hanger will bring 200 construction and 100 full-time jobs to Westfield.
“The jobs are going to be high paying well qualified engineering and technical skill type jobs,” Gulfstream’s Mark Burns said.
Gulfstream jets can go for millions of dollars. Even though the market is tight, this company says their posting their largest number of orders for new aircraft since the economic downtown began.
“The global economy has definitely grown our product base. We were predominantly a U.S.-based business for many years now we’re really a global industry,” Burns said.
The U.S. added 103,000 jobs in September. However, 14 million across the country are still looking for work. The governor hopes an investment like this from a company like Gulfstream is a sign the economy is about to take off.
“We’re going to keep going until everyone that is going for work can find it,” Patrick said.
http://www.cbs3springfield.com/story/15644809/jet-maker-bringing-100-jobs-to-western-massachusetts
Source: CBS 3 SPRINGFIELD, MA
Date: 2011-10-17