Gulfstream Aerospace is investing $100 million in the service center complex at its Savannah, Georgia headquarters as it looks to add another 200,000 sq ft of capacity, build on its customer support hub, and continue the growth of its global footprint. Announced last month, the newest expansion at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport would augment the airframer’s service center that opened in 2019 and also spanned 200,000 sq ft. The resulting facilities would be among the largest in the world dedicated to business aviation.

Slated to open in 2024, the Savannah expansion will result in the creation of 250 jobs and increase capacity for customer support at the location, which includes a 24/7 technical operations call center and a main parts distribution center.

This investment is part of a global strategy that Gulfstream (Booth S120, Stand AD_08) has undertaken to keep up with its increasingly large fleet. In the past 15 years, the company has added more than 2 million sq ft of hangar and warehouse space, shops, and offices, and it has expansions either in the works or completed recently in Farnborough, UK; Mesa, Arizona; Fort Worth; Palm Beach, Florida; Appleton, Wisconsin; and Van Nuys, California.

The manufacturer of the super-midsize G280 and line of large-cabin, long-range twinjets estimates that it has poured some $500 million into these facilities.

“When the G650 was introduced in 2008, we saw the need to modernize our service facilities to accommodate the very large-cabin business aircraft Gulfstream brought to the market, and with that came building larger hangars and streamlining the support experience for our customers,” explained Derek Zimmerman, president of Gulfstream customer support. “The introduction of the G400, G500, G600, G700, and G800 further reinforced that need for modernization and expansion.”

Not only is the aircraft size growing but the fleet itself is rapidly expanding, Zimmerman said, prompting the airframer to implement the strategic expansion plan throughout Europe, the U.S., and elsewhere. This plan involves an enlarged footprint as well as investments in people and parts. “We are increasing our workforce across all sites,” Zimmerman said, noting that Gulfstream’s customer support team now numbers nearly 5,000 individuals in more than a dozen MRO locations across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

The company believes its factory-owned networks provide an opportunity to directly engage with its customers, Zimmerman said. “We work closely with them so that we can understand their end-service experiences and use this information to enhance our programs and projects.”

Zimmerman noted that having in-house capabilities such as for repair and overhaul helps the company “gain more control of the supply chain.” To that end, Gulfstream is adding shops, including a component repair and overhaul facility in Dallas that will open in 2024.

As for future projects, he said, “We feel confident in our current footprint and customer-support offerings and continually assess them to identify opportunities for growth.”

While it has its own expansive network, Gulfstream also has the advantage of having Jet Aviation as a sister company. Acquired by parent company General Dynamics in 2008, Jet Aviation helps extend Gulfstream’s service offerings, Zimmerman said, noting that the multifaceted aviation business chain remains its partner of choice in the regions it serves.

And while the airframer remains focused on its in-house expansion, Zimmerman noted that it is also enlarging its authorized warranty facilities (AWF) footprint. “We have aircraft based around the world and these AWFs offer convenient access to warranty service, maintenance, and parts for our customers,” he said, noting the recent addition of ExecuJet Aviation Nigeria in Lagos to provide warranty and maintenance service and spare parts in West Africa.