A major aerospace plant in Belfast faces an uncertain future, with up to 2,400 jobs at risk following the division of its owner between Boeing and Airbus.
The carve-up of Spirit AeroSystems leaves significant portions of the Belfast facility without an owner, endangering the factory’s long-term viability.
Boeing plans to acquire Kansas-based Spirit for $4.7 billion (£3.7 billion).
This is to secure a key supplier for its troubled 737 Max jet.
Airbus will take over operations that provide components for its aircraft.
Airbus will assume control of the Belfast factory segment.
The factory manages wing and fuselage production for the Airbus A220 regional jet.
Boeing said an alternative buyer is being sought for the remaining parts of Spirit’s Belfast business.
Boeing and Airbus are not prepared to take it on.
The entire facility, Northern Ireland’s largest manufacturer, may become commercially unviable if no buyer is found.
George Brash, regional officer for the trade union Unite, expressed concerns about the lack of clarity regarding the future of most employees at Spirit Belfast.
He fears the site could be dismantled, putting many jobs at risk.
The carve-up leaves large parts of the Belfast facility without an owner, endangering its long-term future
The operations at risk, which include producing fuselage and tail sections for Bombardier business jets and housings for Rolls-Royce engines, account for 40 percent of Spirit’s business but employ most of its 3,600-strong Belfast workforce.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson called the plan a “partial solution” and advocated for a single buyer for the entire site to secure all jobs and ensure sustainability.
The threat to the Belfast plant comes amid broader financial challenges in Northern Ireland.
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Another Northern Irish business, Titanic shipbuilder Harland & Wolff, halted trading in its shares after auditors refused to sign off on its accounts.
Under the terms of Boeing’s takeover of Spirit, non-Airbus activities in Belfast are proposed for sale to a third party.
Airbus will take on certain operations in Belfast, the US, and Morocco and manufacture fuselage sections for the A350 wide-body plane.
However, there is no contingency plan for remaining operations in Northern Ireland.
Sir Michael Ryan, chairman of Spirit UK, warned breaking up the Belfast business would be “extremely detrimental” to its future and the region’s aerospace industry.
He argued maintaining the site as a single entity is crucial for economies of scale and technological synergies.
Spirit’s Belfast operations span six sites, including areas integral to the Northern Ireland peace process.
The main factory, built by Short Brothers in 1936, has a rich history, producing aircraft since the Second World War.
