Expansion In Civil, Military Markets Welcome Amid NASA Cutbacks

Alliant Techsystems is one of the companies hardest hit by changes in NASA's policy direction, but ATK got the chance to celebrate on Monday. The occasion was the the grand opening of the company's new Aircraft Commercial Center of Excellence in Clearfield, UT, less than one year after the announcement of the expansion.

The facility serves as the headquarters for ATK's commercial aircraft programs and supports the manufacturing of composite airframe and engine components for the Airbus A350 XWB, and General Electric and Rolls-Royce engine programs. ATK has received commercial aircraft component orders exceeding a billion dollars over the last several years. 

ATK President & CEO Mark DeYoung observed, "Our longstanding experience in highly-engineered composite structures and our expertise in automated manufacturing methods are now matched by a state-of-the-art production facility."

ATK Aerospace Systems President Blake Larson added, "Combined with our $500 million of orders for military aircraft composite structures, ATK is in two high-growth markets for the long-term."

The building is 615,000 square feet dedicated to high-rate composite manufacturing. ATK has about 100,000 square feet committed to clean rooms which accommodate its patented automated stiffener forming technology (pictured) and engine wrap machines. Initial production of 700 parts per month is expected to eventually rise to 10,000 parts per month.

ATK expects to add up to 800 future jobs in support of composite manufacturing in Utah. The Houston Chronicle reports the company got a Utah tax credit equal to 30 percent of the new tax revenue it generates, an incentive that could reach $19 million.

FMI: www.atk.com