Kansas governor Laura Kelly has issued a statement of congratulations to Bell Textron for its new facility in Wichita.

The new facility opened Thursday at One Cessna Boulevard as part of the Textron Aviation complex in southwest Wichita.  The facility will support a number of Bell helicopter programs and business areas.   Bell was chosen this year as a finalist to pursue two critical U.S. Army modernization programs, and that led to the selection of Wichita as a location to support Bell’s future plans.

Bell has long-term plans to grow the workforce and capabilities at the Wichita location.

Governor Kelly said the state is pleased to strengthen its existing partnership with Textron, and state commerce secretary David Toland said the decision to have the Bell location in Wichita is “a very big deal for the state, the Wichita region and the state’s aerospace sector.”