Aircraft company Embraer plans long-term future in Macon

A global aerospace company has committed to 15 more years in Bibb County after renewing its lease at the Middle Georgia Regional Airport earlier this month. 

Embraer’s Aircraft Maintenance Services branch came to the area in 2018 when the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority (MBCIA) subleased space in the airport to the company. Since then, an Embraer spokesperson said around 200 jobs have been created – the company committed to bringing in 100 under the original lease. 

The company spokesperson said Embraer “anticipates quite a bit of growth” in the next 15 years.

“We are excited to extend the lease on our Macon hanger,” said Jason Grafton, managing director at Embraer. “As the partnership between Macon and Embraer continues to grow, this extension further solidifies and strengthens our commitment to the community along with our customers.”

MBCIA Executive Director Stephen Adams said Embraer agreed to increase its monthly lease payments from $14,000 to $54,000, The Macon Newsroom reported. 

The lease has an initial five-year period with up to two additional five-year renewal options. 

Embraer is a Brazil-based company that specializes in aviation for the commercial, executive, defense, security and agricultural sectors. Over 8,000 Embraer-made aircraft have been delivered since its 1969 founding, the company says.

In 2022, the Macon facility signed two “heavy maintenance services agreements totaling $72 million,” according to an Embraer release. The contracts were with two companies, including Envoy Air, a subsidiary of American Airlines that operates flights to destinations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas and Caribbean.

“Embraer has been a valued tenant at the Middle Georgia Regional Airport for the past 6 years, I am excited that we have finalized another lease agreement with them,” Mayor Lester Miller said. “Their ongoing presence not only solidifies our partnership but also reaffirms the thriving business environment we are nurturing in Macon-Bibb County.”

Prior to Embraer’s arrival in 2018, a 35-year-old Boeing plant in Macon closed and let go about 120 employees. That facility became a Central Georgia Technical College and Robins Air Force training ground for aircraft maintenance. Canadian aerospace company Bombardier ended operations at the regional airport shortly after, resulting in 89 jobs lost.

The commitment from Embraer signifies the company’s confidence in Macon being a good place to do business.

“Over the past five years, Embraer has been a key player in job creation and the vitality of the Middle Georgia Regional Airport,” MBCIA Chairman Robby Fountain said. “This renewal is a strong endorsement of our collaborative efforts and the business-friendly environment we have developed”.

Embraer is hosting open house events for potential employees to explore opportunities within the company and speak to current employees at their facility at 150 East Drive. The events will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 26 and Aug. 30.