Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy has signed a bill to keep the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in the state until 2032. The bill gives the maker of the Black Hawk helicopter $220 million in state incentives and in return, the company has pledged to build a new line of helicopters for the U.S. military at its Stratford plant.
Malloy held a bill signing at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport on Monday. He said Sikorsky is pledging to retain and grow its workforce of about 8,000 jobs in the state, and double what it spends in-state on suppliers that make parts for its helicopters.
“The return on investment for our state’s part is about $96 for every dollar we’re investing in this program. We know that those investments will go largely right back into our community,” Malloy said.
Malloy first met with Sikorsky leaders this summer, when he heard they were considering a relocation. The company said it’d found cheaper states to do business than Connecticut -- including Florida, South Carolina, Texas and Georgia. “The impact to the workers throughout Connecticut would have been devastating,” Malloy said. “However, we took action to protect the jobs of thousands of workers across our state and keep a world-renowned company headquartered right here in our home.”
Last month, Malloy cut a deal with Pratt and Whitney to keep manufacturing jet engines in Connecticut. GE, formerly the state’s largest company, moved to Boston earlier this year
