Gulfstream Aerospace has announced a $500 million, seven-year facility expansion plan at its Savannah headquarters. The project includes building new facilities and renovating several existing facilities, as well as expanding office and lab facilities at the Gulfstream Research Development Center in Savannah’s Crossroads Business Park. According to company president Joe Lombardo, the expansion will support anticipated demand for business-jet aircraft and support services. The growth is expected to result in 1,000 additional Gulfstream jobs, an increase of more than 15 percent from the OEM’s current Savannah employment level of approximately 5,500. “This expansion is necessary to meet the projected increase for new business-jet aircraft production and the maintenance that will follow,” Lombardo said. “With our own sales trends and market forecasts suggesting an upturn over the next decade, we want to ensure Gulfstream is well positioned to meet the demand. We are already beginning to see signs of a modest recovery. In the third quarter of 2010, we booked more orders than we had in any quarter since the downturn began in mid-2008. Furthermore, as flying hours have increased, Gulfstream service centers have enjoyed a significant increase in service volume.”