Next time you take to the skies, there’s more than a one in five chance you will sit on a seat manufactured in Fort Worth.
German company RECARO Aircraft Seating is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its manufacturing operation in the heart of Texas. The maker of economy and business class seats celebrated the milestone on December 13 among company executives, customers, and others at their north Fort Worth location. More than 50 airlines globally use the company’s best-selling seat, the Comfort Line 3710, per the company’s press release.
RECARO opened its operation in Fort Worth in 1998 with only 30 employees, with its first customer being Fort Worth’s own American Airlines.
A quarter-century later, the location now employs roughly 470 individuals. Next year, the company is expected to produce 40,000 seats, according to Fort Worth Report.
General manager Sunitha Vegerla says RECARO’s seats have come a long way over the past 25 years, where once they weighed 110 pounds each.
“Compared to that seat, if you compare the passenger living space to what we currently have, it’s actually better,” Vegerla said.
According to CEO Dr. Mark Hiller, reducing the weight of airline seats is critical. In 2009, the company developed the “Sting Ray” seat, weighing only 12 pounds.
“It’s mainly about efficiency to really reduce the weight of the aircraft and increase the efficiency to reduce the fuel burn,” Hiller said.
A drop in orders driven by the pandemic led to the company laying off about 30% of its staff. It also reduced production lines from eight to two, a 75% reduction.
Since then, activity has begun to climb, and production lines have increased from two to five. While requests for quotes have recovered, Hiller estimates revenue remains at 70% of pre-pandemic levels.
Speaking at the company’s town hall, Steven Udvar-Huzy, founder of Air Lease Corporation, sees growth in RECARO’s future.
“There’s a tremendous path and opportunity for all of you to participate and enjoy the success of that growth,” Udvar-Huzy said.
