2,000 Belfast jobs in limbo as potential owners stay silent after ‘definitive' deal to break up business

Belfast Telegraph

29-04-2025

European manufacturer Airbus confirmed on Monday that it had reached 'definitive' agreement to acquire parts of the Spirit aerospace business which manufacture wings and the mid-fuselage for its A220.
That will maintain the jobs of 1,400 people at Spirit in east Belfast, formerly Bombardier – but there is no confirmation of a buyer for other parts of the business, employing 2,000 people.
Earlier this year, a US source identified Swiss company Montana Aerospace as a possible player.
On Monday, a spokesperson said that as a listed company, it 'generally does not comment on rumours of possible acquisitions'.
Last week, company accounts for Spirit AeroSystems in Belfast said that Boeing, which is taking over most of Spirit in a separate deal, would take over the remainder of the Belfast operation if no other buyer is found.
But it did not return a request for comment on Monday when asked if it would soon confirm its intentions.
Bombardier, the Canadian company which owned the former Shorts business before Spirit, was previously linked to a deal but referred on Monday to comments made by its CEO Éric Martel in February.
At that time, he said: 'There's a possibility we could be part of that transaction but also have the option that if there's a credible buyer that would guarantee the delivery of our fuselages for the life of our programme, we are going to be comfortable with that solution also. Both scenarios remain on the table.'
Stephen Kelly, chief executive of Manufacturing NI, said close integration of the sites was still possible, even if there is more than one buyer.
'There's no doubt about it that the business is going to be broken up in some form but that doesn't mean it can't continue to be significantly integrated….
'Whether there will be two or multiple future owners it makes a lot of sense for integration to be maintained.'
My preference was always to see a single buyer for the entire site – East Belfast DUP MP Gavin Robinson
Unite the Union said it believed a total of 10,000 jobs in Ireland were dependent on the east Belfast firm, adding that the lack of buyer for its other Belfast sites meant there was an 'unprecedented' threat to the aerospace sector and wider economy.
Unite's Sharon Graham said hundreds of 'highly skilled' workers were facing an uncertain future.
She said: 'The UK Government must now intervene to secure not just the workers but the future of Northern Ireland aerospace.'
Union colleague Susan Fitzgerald said: 'Aerospace is a critical and high-value sector at the heart of Northern Ireland's economy. Production at Spirit is central to that with a supply chain extending across the region, and indeed the whole island.
'The potential break-up of Spirit is not just a huge threat to our members' livelihoods, but is an unprecedented threat to Northern Ireland's economy and society.'
Representatives of the workforce will travel to Westminster on Wednesday for meetings with ministers and MPs, the union said.
East Belfast DUP MP Gavin Robinson said: 'My preference was always to see a single buyer for the entire site. The current deal still leaves significant uncertainty for those staff in the non-Airbus operations... it is important there is clarity quickly around the entire Belfast operation. This is significant employer, not just within east Belfast but Northern Ireland, with a highly skilled workforce.
'There is a continued need, however, to build on previous efforts to bring more investment to this sector.'
Airbus said the deal reinforced its 'long-term commitment to the UK's aerospace sector and maintaining stability across the supply chain'.
Work carried out by Spirit in Prestwick, Scotland, will also be transferred to Airbus, but will be operated as an affiliate business.
Under the terms of the deal, expected to be completed later this year, Airbus will be compensated by payment of $439m from Spirit AeroSystems.
Airbus is also acquiring other Spirit operations in Kansas in the US, Morocco and France.