/EINPresswire.com/ -- BRIDGEPORT, WEST VIRGINIA--(Marketwired - May 5, 2017) - Bombardier Commercial Aircraft welcomed Senator Joe Manchin at its aircraft service center in Bridgeport, West Virginia where the company is planning a major expansion project that will more than double its capacity to provide heavy maintenance, component repair and overhaul support for CRJ Series and Q Series aircraft. The Senator toured the facility, met with employees and was presented with the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) prestigious Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence.

"Bombardier is proud to present Senator Manchin with the NAM Award for Manufacturing Excellence for his work supporting policies that allow companies to grow, create jobs and remain globally competitive," said Stephen McCoy, General Manager of Commercial Aircraft Service Centers for Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "Bombardier's plans to double the size of our West Virginia Air Center (WVAC) through our expansion project will add sustainable highly skilled American aerospace jobs and is a perfect example of what Senator Manchin is advocating for."

The existing 145,000 square-foot (13,470 square-metre) service centre, would double in size to approximately 300,000 square feet (27,870 square metres). Currently, the service centre has a capacity to operate at 500,000 man-hours a year; post expansion, its capacity could increase to one million man-hours per year to accommodate up to 20 maintenance lines at a time -- up from the nine lines operating today. Ground breaking for the project is expected to take place in 2017.

About Bombardier's Commercial Aircraft Service Centres

Over the last few years, Bombardier has secured several long-term heavy maintenance contracts -covering maintenance and repairs for commercial aircraft. Bombardier's commercial aircraft service centres are designed to maximize quality and increase return-to-service speed within a competitive, predictable cost structure. The facilities are backed by Bombardier's 24/7 technical help desks, in-service engineering teams and support staff deployed around the world.

In addition to the WVAC, Bombardier also operates commercial aircraft service centres in Tucson, Arizona and Macon, Georgia. Each of the three centres has received the FAA's AMT Diamond Award of Excellence, the highest honour bestowed on an aviation maintenance employer, for many consecutive years (Bridgeport 18 years, Tucson nine years and Macon five years). The corporation also operates a US network of business aircraft service centres in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; Dallas, Texas; Hartford, Connecticut; Wichita, Kansas; and Tucson, Arizona.

About Bombardier

Bombardier is the world's leading manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation.

Bombardier is headquartered in Montréal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, we posted revenues of $16.3 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier

Bombardier, CRJ Series, Q Series and The Evolution of Mobility are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.