(From left): Don Boitson, Vice-President and GM of Magellan Aerospace; Murray Edwards, Magellan Aerospace Chairman of the Board; Ken Webb, Vice-President, Academic and Research at RRC; David Leis, Vice-President, Business Development at RRC; Stephanie Forsyth, President of RRC; Hon. Peter Bjornson, Manitoba Minister of Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade; Hon. Julian Fantino, Associate Minister of National Defence; and Jim Butyniec, President and CEO of Magellan Aerospace.

Representatives from Red River College took part in the official opening of Magellan Aerospace’s new Advanced Composites Manufacturing Centre last week, marking the College’s ongoing role as one of the Centre’s key educational partners.

The new 138,000-square foot facility, located at 1855 Ellice Ave., is in the final stages of being equipped with state-of-the-art technology required to manufacture complex composite fabrication and assemblies — among them, the horizontal tail components of the F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, which are being built to replace Canada’s fleet of aging CF-18s. Once fully commissioned, the new facility will be one of the most advanced composite manufacturing and assembly centres in North America.

The official ribbon-cutting drew a number of government stakeholders — among them Julian Fantino, Associate Minister of National Defence, and Peter Bjornson, provincial Minister of Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade — as well as several representatives from Red River College. The College is one of three educational partners helping to train Magellan’s workforce, along with the University of Manitoba and Tech-Voc High School.

“The ongoing partnership between Magellan Aerospace and Red River College highlights the College’s commitment to supporting the manufacturing industry in Manitoba,” says Ken Webb, Vice-President, Academic and Research at RRC.

“Through innovative, industry-informed programming and facilities equipped with cutting-edge technologies, RRC continues to expand its capacity for education, applied research, and industry training supporting the aerospace industry and world-class projects such as the Joint Strike Fighter program.”