While pledging to retain its North American headquarters in Grand Prairie, Texas, French engine maker Turbomeca has announced plans to open a new service, support and maintenance center in Mirabel, Canada, just a few scant miles from Bell Helicopter’s major civil manufacturing center in the same town. The new center will support the needs of the roughly 300 Turbomeca-made powerplants in service throughout Canada. Covering some 31,000 sq ft, the facility has started operations with 20 employees, according to Hélène Séguinotte, the company’s new CEO. The repair shop has the capacity to overhaul up to 110  engines and equivalent components annually. Describing the company’s new Canadian capability, Russ Spray, former chairman and CEO of Rocky Mountain Holdings, and newly appointed Turbomeca Engine Co. president and CEO seemed to structure his thoughts along the framework of The Twelve Days of Christmas.

“The [company’s] worldwide network has 14 sites, two subsidiaries, 23 turbo support centers (six in North America), 32 repair centers, 90 technical and field representatives, a 24-hour hotline and a Web site.”