Thrush expansion, new product line will add more than 125 jobs in Albany

ALBANY — Thrush Aircraft is hiring as the company gets ready to ramp up production with a new line of aerial application models used in agriculture and fire suppression applications.

The company, which has been located in Albany since the 1970s, plans to hire more than 125 new workers initially over the next 12 months. Albany Technical College and the state of Georgia will assist in training the workers, and after the new employees come on board, Thrush plans to continue hiring.

The company made the announcement on Thursday, and plans to launch four certification programs for two engine and airframe configurations. Those will combine the company’s best 500-gallon airframe with two additional engine options.

The certification is needed because the models will be considered to be new airplanes by the Federal Aviation Administration, Thrush CEO Mark McDonald said during a Thursday news conference.

In addition to manufacturing jobs, the company will be looking for new employees for departments including purchasing and accounting.

“We’re going to be hiring everything … all sorts for different skill sets: professionals, technicians, people with aerospace experience, people with no experience,” McDonald said.

Hourly salaries range from about $16 to $30 for production workers.

Thrush is one of only two companies in the world that makes the type of aircraft it produces, and unlike many manufacturers, it is not an assembly plant but one that makes all of the parts used in the aircraft.

The company has mounted a turnaround since it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2019 and laid off 113 employees. Along with new ownership, it has seen its prospects soar.

“I think being here in Albany, getting it back on its feet and growing is a great experience,” McDonald said. “We started with 48 employees (in 2019). We’re at 170, but we’ll be at 300 before too long. It’s exciting.”

Thrush airplanes, which range in price from a little more than $1 million to a bit over $2 million, are used in a wide variety of agricultural applications, including spraying fertilizer and pesticides and even planting rice seeds. Its largest market after the United States is Brazil.

“I love this industry,” McDonald said. “It helps feed the world. I know that sounds kind of corny. We help farmers. We help protect the environment. We do all kinds of things to feed the world.”

Calling Thursday a “great day,” Albany Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Barbara Rivera Holmes said Thrush aircraft are made here and sold all over the world.

“Albany is a manufacturing legacy community,” she said. “We like to see our manufacturers invest in Albany. We’re here with the Thrush team celebrating this new product and celebrating this expansion.

“The significance of something like this is exponential. It doesn’t just affect this one business. There are all of the suppliers as well as the work force, our school system. It’s one that’s going to impact our community for years.”

The expansion will provide opportunities for Albany’s young people to find good jobs at home instead of having to seek them elsewhere, said Jana Dyke, president and CEO of the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission. She could not immediately give an estimate on the total economic impact of the expansion, but said the payroll alone will be in the millions of dollars.

“This is great,” she said. “Thrush has been in our community for a long time. It’s nice to see them growing. Having them come in brought new life with a breath of fresh air. It’s great they’re interested in our schools. It helps us retain people in the community.”

Staff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]
Staff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]