Swedish firm Saab Automobile AB has unveiled plans to build a new plant for advanced manufacturing and production in West Lafayette.
The company selected a new site for the facility at the Purdue University-affiliated Discovery Park District. It plans to invest US$ 37 million over the coming years from 2020.
The initial focus for the site will be aeronautical engineering; producing major structural sections and final assembly of the Saab parts of the T-X advanced jet trainer, developed by Boeing and Saab for the U.S. Air Force.
“This is a historic moment for Saab. After careful consideration, we have chosen West Lafayette, thanks to the visionary leadership of both the State of Indiana and the world-leading Purdue University,” said Saab president and CEO Håkan Buskhe. “Today’s announcement is a part of our growth strategy in the United States, and deepens our relationship with the U.S. customer. We see great possibilities here for this facility and our partnerships.”
Construction of the new site is expected to begin in 2020. Hiring of local employees will also start during 2020 and Saab will initially create up to 300 new full-time positions for Indiana resident employees at the site.
