Textron Aviation, based in Wichita, Kansas, has confirmed plans to expand its distribution operations by 180,000 square feet in an effort to fulfill the demand of customers who operate Cessna, Beechcraft and Hawke products, according to a press release.
“We take pride in supporting the thousands of aircraft manufactured by Textron Aviation,” said Kriya Shortt, senior vice president, Global Parts and Distribution. “Customers expect us to have parts available to keep them flying and this expansion will allow us to more efficiently support our customers’ parts needs.”
The enlarged footprint is said to fulfill the availability of thousands of aircraft designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation currently operating worldwide. The expansion will also allow Textron Aviation to continue investing in inventory to support new and existing models, Cessna SkyCourier and Beechcraft Denali, among others, in an effort to leverage its stock levels for other product lines.
“The expansion also enables Textron Aviation to continue to make it easier for customers to conduct business with the company, including a dedicated lane for customers to drop-off or pick up parts in person and opportunities for consolidated shipments,” a recent press release stated. “The expanded operations will also provide expedited support to the company’s own Wichita Service Center.”
The company hopes to begin carrying out the project later this month and hopes to complete it by the end of 2023. The new footprint will feature additional warehouse space, an extension of the mezzanine structure for additional storage/office space, and room for dedicated customer support analysts.
PEC Engineering and GLMV Architecture will contribute to the design of the facility, as well as the CONCO Construction. The company currently has seven distribution centers and 17 stockrooms worldwide. Its Wichita location houses over 120,000 parts and a distribution team of more than 350 people.
“Consistent with the company’s commitment to sustainability, the project features energy-saving LED lighting and high-efficiency systems and process improvements that will consolidate shipments and reduce vehicle travel by an estimated 40,000 miles annually,” a recent press release states.