KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri Governor Jay Nixon was on hand Thursday afternoon at Kansas City International Airport to welcome a company that promises to bring 500 new jobs to the area. Aviation Technical Services, a Washington-based company, hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil its newly remodeled hangar.
Nearly 100 employees and their families heard from Gov. Nixon and the CEO of ATS, Matt Yerbic, checked out the 607,000 square foot facility, and enjoyed some Kansas City BBQ. The company has performed maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for commercial and military aircraft for more than four decades.
The governor says this type of company fits right in with Kansas City.
“Today represents an investment in the Show Me state and workers that will pay big dividends to this company and its employees in this region and our state. We’re all excited about the future of this organization. A future that includes a growing footprint in the economy of this region, state, and a future that includes ATS, a growing corporate citizen of this community. Congratulations to everyone here at ATS for flying so high here in Kansas City and raising everyone’s game. What a great day,” Gov. Nixon said.
Yerbic said the excitement also stems from what the company will bring to KC.
“We offer a major customer base. I think it’s about job growth and about continuing to grow other businesses that help support places like ours. For every dollar we spend, there’s probably another dollar that comes from other support, businesses,” he said.
ATS also announced Thursday the addition of two new contracts: one with Hawaiian Air, and another with Air Canada that will bring more than 40 Boeing 787 aircrafts to that hangar for work. The work on those contracts is slated to continue to 2018.
