DRS Technologies to open facility in south Alabama
August 8, 2012, 02:20 pm
The city of Andalusia, Alabama, in the shadow of a crippled economy, will welcome a new industry and many high-paying jobs to go along with it.
DRS Technologies - a leading supplier of integrated products, as well as services and support to military forces and commercial clients worldwide - recently announced it has opened a state-of-the-art aircraft maintenance/overhaul facility in south Alabama. The facility, to be located at the South Alabama Regional Airport in Andalusia, will provide maintenance, modification, repair and overhaul services including fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
"DRS Technologies is pleased to establish a critical capability and presence in south Alabama," said Ed Boyington, vice president and general manager of DRS Technologies' Aviation & Logistics business unit, at ribbon-cutting ceremony. "We appreciate and value the solid working relationship we've established with local, regional and state authorities and look forward to continuing our partnership as we develop a world-class capability here in Andalusia."
According to Alabama Governor Robert J. Bentley, DRS Technologies will bring 40 high-paying jobs to Andalusi this year and will add 40 more by next year. Jobs include extremely highly-trained technical workers, engineers, research designers and many more.
"Andalusia is in an excellent position to attract new businesses to the area," said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. "This aviation-related company is a target market and perfect match for our Accelerate Alabama economic development plan. We welcome DRS Technologies here and look forward to helping them expand in the state."
DRS Technologies focuses mainly on repair and overhaul of military aircraft, including C-130 type airplanes, B-22s, Black Hawks and more. Its list of expertise includes simple routine maintenance in aircraft to heavy structural replacement of corroded parts.
"We'll be modifying old aircrafts, updating them, as well as doing what we call heavy maintenance on them," said Boyington. "A large aircraft could come in on a periodic basis for major overhaul, so it's a major overhaul facility for aircrafts and helicopters, as well as a modification center for upgrading avionics and electronics."
Day-to-day operations of DRS Technologies at Andalusia will be run by Mike Blessinger, director and site manager. Blessinger has 20 years of experience in the U.S. Air Force and an extensive business background in systems engineering in the logistics and aerospace industry.
The facility will have two hangars and an administrative building, equaling more than 7,000 square feet of space.
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