Archer Aviation has completed construction of its high-volume manufacturing facility, ARC, in Covington, Georgia.
The 400,000-square-foot facility, located next to Covington Municipal Airport, is a key milestone in Archer’s journey to scale production of its Midnight eVTOL aircraft. Initial manufacturing is set to begin in early 2025.
The decision to establish ARC in Georgia followed an extensive nationwide evaluation. “Key considerations included the availability of talent in the local labor market, utility availability, ability to conduct seamless flight test operations, construction costs, and logistics,” explained Glen Burks, Archer’s Vice President of Operations. Burks also noted the strong support Archer received from both state and local officials, including Governor Brian Kemp and Newton County leaders.
The ARC facility is expected to create over 1,000 jobs long-term, cementing Georgia’s role as a hub for advanced manufacturing.
“Georgia is home to more than 800 aerospace companies and maintains a robust aerospace education pipeline, with a dozen high schools that offer training in the field, five technical colleges with aviation programs, and several universities offering degrees in aerospace engineering,” said Burks.
To attract and prepare local talent, Archer has been working closely with these institutions to create opportunities for Georgia residents.
Archer is also leveraging its partnership with Stellantis, which has embedded dozens of personnel in the project to apply their automotive manufacturing expertise to eVTOL production.
“Stellantis provided Archer with their expertise throughout the site selection process for our manufacturing facility and continues to contribute to our progress across several key teams related to manufacturing and beyond,” Burks added.
With ARC’s completion, Archer is poised to transition from research and development into full-scale commercialisation, aiming to ramp production to two aircraft per month by the end of 2025.
