An agricultural aircraft manufacturer has announced plans to locate its headquarters and assembly plant at the Newton City/County Airport.
Weatherly Aircraft Company builds planes used to apply agrochemicals for small grain farming. The company will make its 620-B model plane in Newton, and its primary customers are in Russia and Kazakhstan. Weatherly was founded in the early 1960s.
The company will lease 26,000 square feet of hangar and office space from the Newton airport for a five-year term. It will make over $1 million in capital investment and it plans to add about 109 jobs in the next five years.
Newton city commissioners and Harvey County commissioners approved a lease agreement in a special meeting Thursday. Weatherly will take possession of the facility in February and it should be operational in March.
