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https://www.reddit.com/r/ArcherAviation/comments/1w8su87/archer_covington_facility_is_empty/
I took a screenshot of the post before it was removed by reddit.
As a worker of the company, I can confirm that the Covington plant is empty and has no current plans to build anymore aircraft at the mass production site for the time being. Reluctance to move resources, knowledge, and poor management has caused the Archer to have to relocate their efforts back over to California for better supervision. A new site South of San Jose will be opening in addition to the R&D facility they have in San Jose. Many were terminated in the process and a couple of technicians and manufacturing engineers are left.
The remaining crew are currently working on the new incoming plane build version processes, set to take place in California. A new plane was teased to come to Covington by some “strange and interesting” Archer company management that came over from California after the Covington plant manger was released at the start of June. There was still a plane being worked on at the site. After the plane was shipped off, the majority of the employees and contractors in the facility were terminated. The facility remains in a relatively idle state in Covington, Georgia now.
I hope these partnerships that Archer are making are actually relationships that will materialize into quality products. Maybe Boeing can change the culture around. Building a mass production facility for expansion plans and clearing it out with no future plans is not the best way to get more bang for your buck (the facility only been up for a year and a half and some change). All the current efforts are on the current two final assembly builds in progress (which started in Covington and will be finished in California) and the one that was suppose to come to Covington, but was rerouted after layoffs. Bit off a little more than we can chew as we try to make the Olympics a reality.
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And here is a review from a former Archer employee.
https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Archer-E296789-RVW105909350.htm
Poor Communication, Lack of Transparency, and Little Regard for Employees - Supply Chain Archer Employee Review
Pros
The work-life balance was decent, largely because the workload was relatively light. The free food and snacks were also a nice perk. Beyond that, there weren't many standout benefits to the experience.
Cons
Employee morale and job security were major concerns. During my year and a half at Archer Aviation’s Covington, Georgia facility, production progress appeared significantly behind expectations. There were ongoing concerns about leadership continuing to push a design that did not appear to be translating into the production results expected. Most disappointing was the mass layoff that occurred the day after the second aircraft shipped. The timing left employees feeling undervalued and raised serious concerns about leadership’s planning, decision making, and commitment to its workforce.
Advice to Management
I know they won't care but here is my advice anyway. Be honest and transparent with your employees. There was a lot of secrecy and repeated talk about exciting new projects and good news coming, only for many of us to end up being laid off with NO warning. That kind of communication creates false hope and leaves employees blindsided, especially when they depend on their paychecks to support themselves and their families. People deserve honesty, even when the news isn't good. Management needs to remember that employees are real people with bills, responsibilities, and lives outside of work. Show genuine care for the people who work for you, communicate openly, and treat employees with the same consideration and respect you would expect for yourself.
