Airbus Chief Executive Fabrice Bregier is laying plans to draw level with Boeing in the United States, its rival’s home turf and the world’s largest aerospace market, starting with a new factory in Alabama.

It’s an aggressive move, considering the European plane-maker controls only about 20 percent of the U.S. market. That share will reach 40 percent as soon as carriers including American Airlines take delivery of Airbus planes on order. MORE