Bombardier to acquire MHI Canada Aerospace assets in Mississauga
Bombardier and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) have entered into an agreement under which Bombardier will acquire the assets of MHI Canada Aerospace (MHICA) in Mississauga, Ontario.
The transaction is expected to close later this year, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
Bombardier will add MHICA’s aerostructure manufacturing capabilities and its roughly 750 employees to support its aircraft programmes.
MHICA traces its origins to 1996, when MHI initiated a consortium of independent contractors operating within Bombardier’s manufacturing facility to undertake final completion activities and address outstanding work on products originating from Japan.
MHICA was officially incorporated in Ontario in 2006. In 2007, it acquired a 90,000 square foot facility to begin assembly of Global wings, centre fuselage integration and systems installation for products sourced from MHI Japan, and the following year took on Challenger series wing assembly and systems installation.
In 2012, the company relocated from its Meadowvale facility to a roughly 270,000 square foot site in Mississauga, which also enabled the relocation of Global 5500/6500 wing major assembly to Canada, and in 2013 it added a 70,000 square foot facility to house its Supply Chain and Logistics Centre.
“This agreement represents a key step in Bombardier’s long-term growth strategy, strengthening critical capabilities, enhancing operational resilience and supporting the company’s flexibility to meet growing customer demand,” said David Murray, executive vice president, Manufacturing, Supply Chain Execution and Bombardier Operational Excellence System, Bombardier. “MHI Canada Aerospace has built a highly respected operation with a talented and experienced team.”
MHI will support an orderly transition and provide transitional support for an interim period after closing to maintain continuity for MHICA’s operations and employees.
“We are proud of what our employees have achieved at MHICA and of the important contributions they have made and will continue to make to these aircraft programmes,” said Hiroyuki Koguchi, executive vice president, Head of Commercial Aviation Systems at MHI. “Together, we have built one of Canada’s aerostructures manufacturers, and this agreement ensures a bright future for our employees.”
“This transaction is fully aligned with Bombardier’s disciplined approach to investing in strategic capabilities that support our long-term priorities,” said Sandra Hodgkinson, senior vice president, Strategy and M&A, Bombardier. “It strengthens our manufacturing footprint, reinforces our supply chain and enhances our ability to meet sustained demand for our aircraft portfolio.”
MHI said it remains committed to the commercial aerospace and defense sectors and will continue to maintain a presence in Canada through its other business activities.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
