British aerospace company GKN bringing 100 research & development jobs to Fort Worth
The British aerospace company GKN Aerospace announced Monday it plans to locate a new research and development plant near Lake Worth.
The company makes parts and materials for commercial airplane companies such as Boeing and Airbus, as well as parts for Lockheed Martin’s F-35.
The plant will support roughly 100 jobs and will house the company’s research and development into laser fabrication of metal air frames, according to GKN’s announcement.
The 100,000-square-foot facility will be in the Lone Star Commerce Center just west of the intersection of Jacksboro Highway and Loop 820.
Fort Worth’s proximity to GKN customers including Lockheed Martin and Northrup Grumman made sense for the new plant, said Shawn Black, the company’s president of defense.
Black noted the company’s partnership with the city of Fort Worth while saying it’s looking to expand the plant’s capabilities and push the boundaries of aerospace technology.
The Fort Worth city council voted in October to approve a $7 million tax credit, which GKN can use to fund research and development at the plant.
The company is required to spend at least $20 million in research and development within five years and create 100 new jobs with an average salary of $125,000 to receive the full $7 million credit.
The city previously used this kind of tax incentive program to help electric motor startup Linear Labs.
The new plant will build on Fort Worth’s strength as a center for advanced aerospace manufacturing and research, said Robert Sturns, Fort Worth’s economic development director, in the press release.
He said he was excited about the partnership and the potential innovations the research and development could bring.
GKN is transferring some of its existing equipment and personnel from a facility in Tennessee, and plans renovate the space for two years before moving in officially.
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