Collins Aerospace has broken ground on an expansion of its Cargo Systems facility in Jamestown, North Dakota. The 20,000 square-foot addition is the first of a four-phase expansion plan to modernise operations, add needed manufacturing space and best position the facility to meet both current and increasing processing needs.

The current 200,000 square-foot facility is a leading supplier of powered cargo systems for commercial widebody aircraft and an innovative solutions provider for military aircraft, including the Collins Cargo On/Off Loading System (COOLS) for the Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter.

“As our cargo systems business has grown in both the commercial and military segments, so too have the needs of our Jamestown facility,” says Brad Haselhorst, vice president and general manager of Military, Safety and Cargo Systems for Collins Aerospace. “The current and future success of our cargo business is largely dependent on the critical work performed from our Jamestown site. This re-investment helps ensure Collins is best equipped to deliver our customers the advanced cargo systems that enable the swift and efficient movement of freight across the globe.”

The Jamestown expansion includes space for new state-of-the-art chemical processing and paint lines designed to maximise operational efficiency, improve site ergonomics and provide customers with expedited delivery schedules. The chemical processing line will grow to include 8-10 additional tanks, expanding the internal parts processing capabilities of the facility.

“Our facility expansion is not only a gamechanger in terms of maximizing our site's operational effectiveness, but it's also a re-investment in this great community we've called home for more than 50 years,” says Wayne Jones, general manager of Cargo Systems for Collins Aerospace. “The decades of support and collaboration from the city of Jamestown, the state of North Dakota and the 450 dedicated people who make up our incredibly talented employee base have been the keys to our past success and will continue to pave the way towards our future progress.”

The first phase of the Jamestown facility expansion is expected to be completed by May 2023, with the entire project to be completed by 2027.