MHIRJ Renews Commitment To Tucson With Expansion

TUCSON, AZ (February 22, 2024) — The MHI RJ Aviation Group (MHIRJ), a maintenance, repair, and overhaul services provider to airline fleets globally, is planning to expand its workforce at Tucson International Airport by adding 100 jobs this year, and more than 250 over the course of three years.

MHIRJ intends to increase its capacity to meet customer demand for the maintenance and operational support of the CRJ and other products by activating additional maintenance lines. The CRJ Series aircraft is the benchmark aircraft utilized in regional aviation, and MHIRJ provides its services for these aircraft in Tucson, AZ, and Bridgeport, WV.

To further improve the performance and efficiency of the operations, MHIRJ has decided to invest in site improvement and hiring additional staff. MHIRJ is confident that adding A&P and Avionics Technicians, Structures Technicians, Machinists/Welders, Crew Chiefs, and NDT Technicians will help achieve this goal.

“We aim to contribute to the economic growth of Tucson through the continued growth of our maintenance activities. You can expect stability and job security by working for a company like MHIRJ," said Ross Mitchell, Vice President of Strategy, Business Development, Marketing, Communications, and Business Operations at MHIRJ. “We are committed to growing our facility to meet the demand coming from the market, and we need people who have the drive and determination to join us in Tucson. I believe that investing in Tucson's youth is crucial. The workforce shortage in the aviation sector has made it imperative for aeronautical companies to attract young talent. That's why, starting in 2024, MHIRJ will support the Pima Community College Foundation by providing six annual scholarships of $1000 for the next six years (2024- 2029). This investment will help raise awareness among Tucson's young people about the career opportunities in the aviation sector.”

Project partners include Arizona Commerce Authority, Sun Corridor Inc., Pima County, City of Tucson, Tucson Airport Authority, and Pima Community College.

“We are excited the MHI RJ Aviation Group has chosen to expand its aircraft maintenance operations in Tucson,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “As an aviation industry leader with a reputation for excellence, MHIRJ will further enhance Southern Arizona’s robust aerospace and aviation industry and create even more skilled jobs in Southern Arizona.”

"This expansion demonstrates the confidence MHIRJ has in the value proposition of Tucson as a leader in aerospace and aviation industry,” said Joe Snell, President and CEO, Sun Corridor Inc. “Our region's aerospace, defense and aviation employers rely on the skilled graduates of Pima Community College’s Aviation Technology Center, among other strong workforce development and training efforts. We’re fully committed to supporting MHIRJ and thrilled they have selected Tucson for this expansion.”

“I am happy to see that the MHIRJ Aviation Group, part of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries family, will expand its operations while adding more than 250 high-wage jobs to Tucson,” said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero. “It confirms that our region has the qualified workforce and workforce development partners to continue leading in the aviation space. I am proud to support MHIRJ’s recruiting efforts together with Sun Corridor’s ‘Thrive in Tucson’ campaign that is attracting more young talent to Southern Arizona.”

“Pima County is a strong partner in workforce development for the aerospace & defense industry, including maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities like MHIRJ. We are known nationally for training high-performing aviation technicians and other critical positions in MRO operations,” said Rex Scott, District 1 Supervisor and Vice Chair, Pima County Board of Supervisors. “I am thrilled to see MHIRJ expand here in Pima County to serve their customer base successfully and look forward to continuing to support their endeavors far into the future.”

“The Tucson Airport Authority (TAA) is pleased to partner with MHIRJ as they expand their presence at Tucson International Airport (TUS). We look forward to many years of continued success in Tucson.” said Danette Bewley, President & CEO, TAA. “When our airport businesses thrive, our community thrives.”

“We're extremely thankful for the scholarship opportunities that MHIRJ is creating for our students,” said Jason R. Bowersock, Director of Aviation at Pima Community College (PCC). “For many of our full-time students, pursuing their mechanic’s certificate while working is difficult. Contributions from our generous industry partners help ensure our students' academic success.”

MHIRJ is organizing a career fair on Wednesday, February 28, 2024 and is excited to offer an opportunity to tour the MHIRJ facility, meet the crew, and participate in onsite interviews.

Furthermore, to support this growth, MHIRJ has launched a talent attraction initiative called "Live Your Best Life in Tucson" focusing a national campaign on the benefits of living and working at MHIRJ in Tucson and Southern Arizona. Sun Corridor Inc. is working closely with MHIRJ on talent attraction, which complements the "Thrive in Tucson" talent campaign.

Media Contacts
Nathalie Scott, MHIRJ, [email protected]

Alyssa Tufts, Arizona Commerce Authority, [email protected]

Laura Shaw, Sun Corridor Inc., [email protected]

About the MHI RJ Aviation Group
The MHI RJ Aviation Group (MHIRJ) provides comprehensive critical operational, engineering, and customer support solutions, including maintenance, refurbishment, technical publications, marketing, and sales activities for the global and regional aircraft industry. Headquartered in Montréal, Canada, and bolstered by an Aerospace Engineering Centre, MHIRJ’s network of service centers, support offices, and parts depots are positioned in important aviation hubs in the U.S. and Canada. The MHI RJ Aviation Group is a group of companies wholly owned by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. For more information about MHI RJ Aviation Group, please visit: mhirj.com. *CRJ, CRJ Series and MHIRJ are trademarks of MHI RJ Aviation ULC or its affiliates.

About the Arizona Commerce Authority

The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) is the state's leading economic development organization with a streamlined mission to grow and strengthen Arizona's economy. The ACA uses a three-pronged approach to advance the overall economy: attract, expand, create - attract out-of-state companies to establish operations in Arizona; work with existing companies to expand their business in Arizona and beyond; and help entrepreneurs create new Arizona businesses in targeted industries. For more information, please visit azcommerce.com and follow the ACA on Twitter @azcommerce.