A MULTI-MILLION dollar aircraft manufacturing plant involving 100 potential new jobs is slated for Keetmanshoop.
Government has approved plans by a Russian company to set up the plant on the outskirts of the town. Karas Regional Councillor Fluksman Samuehls told The Namibian that the Ministry of Works had approved plans by Russian company MARS to set up the plant that will create around 100 jobs.The company has already invested N$30 million on a feasibility study.Samuehls said a Russian delegation visited the region last year and briefed the Karas Regional Council on the progress.The state-of-the-art plant will be used to assemble Lear Jets, among others, according to Samuehls.Sources said the multi-purpose M-101T Gzhel aircraft will also be assembled.It will be the first such plant in the southern African region.Samuehls said the plant would be a major boost to the Namibia Aviation Training Academy (NATA) at the town.The first phase of the flying school started at Eros Airport in Windhoek in April 2000 but was transferred to Keetmanshoop in July 2001 when the construction of infrastructure at Keetmanshoop Airport was completed.The plane assembly plant will also undertake on-the-ground finishing and flight-testing.The aircraft will be sold mainly in the SADC region, although the intention is to also export them to overseas markets.MARS General Director Alexander Vrublevskiy told the Karas Regional Council last year that Russian experts would control and supervise production at the plant until technical skills were transferred to Namibians.Vrublevskiy said parts for the aircraft would be imported from Russia and other independent world markets while his company would do the marketing of the aircraft.Karas Governor Stephanus Goliath told the investors’ conference last week that Keetmanshoop had clear skies and the airport was ready to be a major hub for economic progress in the southern African region.The town’s Mayor, Andreas Biwa, said Keetmanshoop was the regional capital and the gateway to most destinations.He called on potential investors in the fishing, mining, grape, ostrich and date sectors to use the airport.The Namibia Aviation Training Academy resorts under the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication.Karas Regional Councillor Fluksman Samuehls told The Namibian that the Ministry of Works had approved plans by Russian company MARS to set up the plant that will create around 100 jobs.The company has already invested N$30 million on a feasibility study.Samuehls said a Russian delegation visited the region last year and briefed the Karas Regional Council on the progress.The state-of-the-art plant will be used to assemble Lear Jets, among others, according to Samuehls.Sources said the multi-purpose M-101T Gzhel aircraft will also be assembled.It will be the first such plant in the southern African region.Samuehls said the plant would be a major boost to the Namibia Aviation Training Academy (NATA) at the town.The first phase of the flying school started at Eros Airport in Windhoek in April 2000 but was transferred to Keetmanshoop in July 2001 when the construction of infrastructure at Keetmanshoop Airport was completed.The plane assembly plant will also undertake on-the-ground finishing and flight-testing.The aircraft will be sold mainly in the SADC region, although the intention is to also export them to overseas markets.MARS General Director Alexander Vrublevskiy told the Karas Regional Council last year that Russian experts would control and supervise production at the plant until technical skills were transferred to Namibians.Vrublevskiy said parts for the aircraft would be imported from Russia and other independent world markets while his company would do the marketing of the aircraft.Karas Governor Stephanus Goliath told the investors’ conference last week that Keetmanshoop had clear skies and the airport was ready to be a major hub for economic progress in the southern African region.The town’s Mayor, Andreas Biwa, said Keetmanshoop was the regional capital and the gateway to most destinations.He called on potential investors in the fishing, mining, grape, ostrich and date sectors to use the airport.The Namibia Aviation Training Academy resorts under the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication.
