Aircraft painting company Airbourne Colors has opened a second multi-million pound aircraft painting facility at Teesside Airport, creating up to 40 new jobs as part of its ongoing expansion drive.
The new 27,000-square-foot hangar, located on the north side of the airport, has been completed as planned and will house narrow-body aircraft, including the Airbus A321 and Boeing 737 MAX 10.
Developed to meet growing demand from global airlines, the new base coincides with Airbourne Colours’ 15th anniversary.
“It is extraordinary to see the completion of our fantastic new facilities at Teesside Airport, which are essential in helping us meet demand from our customers across the global aviation industry,” said Steve Darbyshire, Founder and CEO of Airbourne Colours.
“As a born and bred Teessider, it has been fantastic to grow our business so quickly here and provide even more high-quality job opportunities that will benefit local people.”
Airbourne Colors, Europe’s only private aircraft painting company, counts Jet2, BA Cityflyer, Loganair, Smartlynx, SAS, TAP Portugal, Air Dolomiti, Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines among its clients.
The company began operations at its first Teesside facility in October 2024 and now records an annual turnover of £15 million.
The new hangar, built by Barnard Castle-based S&A Fabrications, took less than a year to complete and used more than 230 tonnes of British steel. It forms part of a wider wave of investment at Teesside Airport, which has seen recent developments by Willis Aviation and Draken, backed by a £12.5m infrastructure package from the Tees Valley Combined Authority.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “When we brought Teesside Airport back into public ownership, it was not just to revive holiday flights for local people, but also to develop a thriving business park that would attract international investors and create well-paid, highly skilled jobs.
“This is further evidence of how we are delivering on that promise with notable companies like Airbourne Colors expanding their operations.”
Airbourne’s partnership with Hartlepool College of Further Education has also supported local workforce development through an aircraft painting apprenticeship programme, with graduates earning up to £35,000 a year.
Phil Forster, CEO of Teesside International Airport, added: “This fantastic new facility further strengthens Teesside’s growing reputation as a leading airline maintenance, repair and overhaul centre.”
READ MORE NEWS: Airbourne Colors completes second Lufthansa paint job at Teesside facility
