Hawker Beechcraft will close its
Salina plant and move the work, the company is informing employees today.
“We were informed today that the
decision has been made to close the Salina facility,” Machinists union District
70 president Steve Rooney said this morning. “The union will be in discussions
with the company to see if there’s things we can do to help save and preserve
jobs in Kansas.”
A timeline is not known, Rooney
said.
The union wants to meet with the
company to determine the possibility of moving a significant number of the jobs
to Wichita, Rooney said.
Hawker Beechcraft employs about 240
people in Salina, down from about 500 a year ago. The plant builds wings, spar
assemblies and other subassemblies.
Hawker Beechcraft CEO Bill Boisture
said in an interview last month that the company likely would close the plant
and move the work to Wichita.
A news conference has been scheduled
at the Salina Airport Authority’s terminal building today at 1:30 p.m. Tim
Rogers, the airport’s executive director will address the media on behalf of
the City of Salina, Saline County, Salina Area Chamber of Commerce and the
Salina Airport Authority.
by Molly
McMillin
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