WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins today announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded the City of Bangor a federal grant in the amount of $579,000.
This grant will help finance the renovation of an aircraft hangar at the Bangor International Airport, where the company C&L Aerospace, which specializes in aircraft maintenance and rehabilitation, currently operates.
Senator Collins strongly supported the City's request. In October 2012, she wrote a letter to Acting Assistant Secretary Matt Erskine in support of Bangor's grant request. In her letter, Senator Collins noted that, since opening in 2010, C&L has expanded its business from 22 to 80 employees. Currently, C&L is working with the City of Bangor to transform a hangar into an aircraft paint shop, the only such facility in the region. Once completed, C&L will be able to grow its workforce to 150 employees.
Upon learning that Bangor's grant application was successful, Senator Collins said:
"It is critically important that we continue to invest in job creators, which will spur continued economic growth. That is why I applaud the U.S. Economic Development Administration's decision to approve the City of Bangor's grant request for this vital project," said Senator Collins. "In recent years, the City has made noteworthy strides towards attracting private investment and economic development. This grant will help bring many needed jobs to the Bangor area and provide substantial economic benefits to the region for years to come."
Following is the full text of Senator Collins' October 2012 letter:
October 4, 2012
Mr. Matt S. Erskine, Acting Assistant Secretary
U.S. Economic Development Administration
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, Suite 7800
Washington, DC 20230
Dear Acting Assistant Secretary Erskine,
I am writing you in support of a recently submitted Application for Investment Assistance by the City of Bangor, Maine, the city in which I live. This is a very exciting project that will bring much needed economic development to the city.
The City of Bangor has been making great strides in economic development and attracting private investment in recent years. The City's Economic Development Department has been key in revitalizing both the City's waterfront and downtown area. C&L Aerospace, which took over the former Telford Aviation in 2010, has been a great, new addition to Bangor. It has expanded its business from 22 to 80 employees and has reached full capacity in its existing hangar space. The City and C& L Aerospace have partnered on a project that will allow C& L to expand its operations at the Bangor International Airport.
C&L's current project is part of a larger expansion effort. Under the expansion, two vacant hangars at the Bangor International Airport will be renovated and an office building connecting the hangars will be built, leading the way to an estimated 50 new jobs. This work will free up a hangar currently used by C&L. The City and C&L plan to work together to renovate this hangar, converting it into an aircraft paint shop. This is the portion of the project for which the City of Bangor has applied for Investment Assistance. By adding aircraft painting capabilities to C&L's list of services, an additional 20 jobs would be created, for a total of 70 new jobs for the overall project.
The paint shop portion of this project is particularly important because it will ensure all of the current and projected jobs at C&L will be more secure. Currently, aircraft that come to C&L for servicing must fly to another facility to be painted. This inefficiency can cause potential customers to look elsewhere for service. If C&L is able to perform aircraft painting services in addition to repair and maintenance at the same airport, their customers will be able to receive full service in one location and get their planes back in the air much sooner - a key consideration in the aviation business.
Bangor is a perfect location in which to develop an aircraft paint service. The closest facility providing paint service for the types of aircraft serviced by C&L is in Tennessee; sources have told me that this facility has closed or will be closing soon. Moreover, Bangor is the closest major U.S. airport to Europe and C&L will continue to draw business from that region. This is an advantage unique to Bangor.
The City of Bangor's project, with support from Investment Assistance funds, will bring many needed jobs to the Bangor area and provide substantial economic benefits to this area for years to come. It is with this in mind that I am pleased to offer my support for this project, and I ask that you give Bangor's application every appropriate consideration under all applicable laws and regulations.