HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — Aerojet Rocketdyne officially launched work today on a new 136,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility in Huntsville, reinforcing the status of Alabama’s “Rocket City” as a major center for innovation in the aerospace and defense sectors.
At a groundbreaking today, Aerojet Rocketdyne President and CEO Eileen Drake said the company’s expansion plans will bring roughly 800 jobs to Huntsville. Earlier this year, Aerojet Rocketdyne announced plans for the new manufacturing facility, where it will produce components for its AR1 rocket engine, composite cases for rocket motors, 3-D printed rocket engine components, and other parts.
That followed an earlier announcement that the company was relocating its Defense division headquarters and Rocket Shop advanced programs to Huntsville, where it has had a presence for more than 50 years.
“Our major expansion in this region that started in 2016 underscores Aerojet Rocketdyne’s belief that Huntsville, which is known as Rocket City, will continue to grow as a key aerospace and defense hub for our nation for many decades to come, and Aerojet Rocketdyne plans to be a leader in that growth,” said Drake, a former Army aviator who trained at Alabama’s Fort Rucker.
Aerojet Rocketdyne said the new facility will also be used to conduct advanced rocket propulsion research and development activities. Production at the facility will begin in 2019.
AEROSPACE INVESTMENT
In addition to the new manufacturing facility, Drake said Aerojet Rocketdyne recently leased 122,000 square feet of office space in Cummings Research Park for its Huntsville operation, which today has around 150 workers.
The company is already begun the process of hiring for its expansion, holding a job fair in Huntsville that attracted 300 people, said Drake, who sported a “Made in Alabama” lapel pin on her jacket.
The new jobs will have an average annual salary of about $80,000.
Governor Kay Ivey said the advanced work Aerojet Rocketdyne will be carrying out in Huntsville matches the city’s long history of innovation and aerospace engineering.
“This is not only an exciting day for Aerojet Rocketdyne and the city of Huntsville — it’s an exciting day for the entire state of Alabama,” she said.
She also said Alabama is becoming a premier destination for aerospace industry investment.
In 2016, aerospace companies announced $260 million in new investment in Alabama, along with 2,000 jobs, according to a data from the Alabama Department of Commerce.
