Helicopter manufacturer to move HQ, operations to Macon County TN
May 24 2021
LAFAYETTE, TN (WSMV) - Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and state economic officials announce Safari Enterprises, LLC will relocate its headquarters and manufacturing operations from Florida to Lafayette, TN.
Safari Enterprises, LLC, known as Safari Helicopter, is a leading manufacturer of two-seater helicopter kits.
Over the next five years, Safari Helicopter will invest $7.5 million and create 85 jobs in Macon County.
“We are committed to driving high-quality investments in our rural communities, and this project will encourage additional growth in the Upper Cumberland region,” Lee said in a news release.
“Safari Helicopter’s decision to relocate its headquarters from Florida to Tennessee and create new family-wage jobs is a huge win for Macon County and the entire Upper Cumberland region,” Tennessee Economic and Commerce Department Commissioner Bob Rolfe said in news release.
As phase one of the relocation, the company will build a 16,000-square-foot facility at the Lafayette Municipal Airport. Phase two will include construction of additional buildings to accommodate for future growth. The company manufactures and sells “home build” helicopter manufacturing kits for aviation enthusiasts with an in-house build option for those uncomfortable with the building process.
“There were multiple factors in our decision to move to Lafayette,” Abe Gaskins, co-owner, Safari Enterprises, said in a news release. “I have to say, it was the incredible assistance from TNECD and the genuine welcome we received from the mayor and city council in Lafayette that clinched the deal. We can’t wait to open the hangar doors this summer.”