BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – Led by passionate aviator and chairman Dieter Morszeck, DIMOR Group will invest an additional $12M into the WACO Aircraft Corporation’s campus to build a brand-new JUNKERS Aircraft factory in Battle Creek, Michigan. This investment reinforces the DIMOR Group’s commitment to the region’s economic development and the U.S. production of its handcrafted, open-cockpit airplanes and the nearly $30M DIMOR Group previously invested in the campus to date.
Preparatory work at the Battle Creek Executive Airport site is underway with the 45,000 square-foot addition expected to be completed this August. The factory plans include state-of-the-art machinery, assembly fixtures, and all-new tooling to allow for increased metal forming and machining capabilities needed to support aircraft production. The site is already home to WACO Aircraft Corporation, builder of bespoke, open-cockpit biplanes, and CENTENNIAL Aircraft Services, a full-service fixed base operator offering fuel sales, pilot amenities, and general aircraft services.
Merging historical aviation designs with modern luxurious touches, JUNKERS Aircraft models are assembled entirely by hand using parts and assemblies currently manufactured by the company’s sister facility in Oberndorf, Germany. The new Battle Creek facility will allow JUNKERS Aircraft to manufacture its own parts and sub-assemblies, further integrating the production processes and supporting the local economy with the creation of approximately 40 production and assembly jobs over the next five years.
“With this substantial investment from our founder Dieter Morszeck, JUNKERS Aircraft in the United States is extremely excited to expand our footprint in Southwest Michigan. We’re in the business of building and selling aircraft, but at our core, the mission really is to spread the passion for aviating in its purest form,” said Sergio Barreto, CEO of DIMOR Group.
“The vintage aesthetic of the JUNKERS A50 Junior and other models combines modern, luxurious features with stunning, classic designs. By investing in the latest technology and tooling at our soon-to-be 150,000 square-foot facility, we’ll continue to combine innovation with the handcrafted workmanship WACO Aircraft is already known for worldwide.”
Battle Creek Unlimited supported JUNKERS Aircraft in identifying Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. as its construction partner and navigating municipal project approvals. To meet the labor demand, DIMOR Group plans to work with the Regional Manufacturing Technology Center at Kellogg Community College, allowing JUNKERS Aircraft to reinvest in its current workforce with additional skills training and ongoing hiring initiatives.
Concurrent with the acquisition of WACO Aircraft Corporation in 2018, DIMOR Group was formed as a strategic holding company to enable both WACO & JUNKERS Aircraft to preserve and promote historically significant aircraft brands from the golden age of aviation, offering discerning aviators the opportunity to pilot reimagined classics built to the latest engineering and safety standards.
For more information about JUNKERS Aircraft and its Battle Creek expansion, visit http://www.wacoaircraft.com/news.
