By Orbital ATK and AZBEX Staff for Arizona Builder’s Exchange
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, Chandler Mayor Jay Tibshraeny and Orbital ATK announced the expansion of the company’s launch vehicles operations onto a new campus in Chandler.
Chandler City Council approved a resolution and rezoning to support the development of the new Orbital ATK campus at Willis Road along Chandler’s Price Corridor, known for being home to companies focused on advanced business services, aerospace, life sciences, sustainable and high technology research and manufacturing.
With the expansion, Orbital ATK will occupy 617KSF in two buildings on a 47-acre campus. Manufacturing space will account for 261KSF. Orbital ATK’s total footprint in the state is more than 892KSF, with a total payroll of more than $170M in Arizona.
The new campus is a result of recent growth as well as projected future work. In 2017, Orbital ATK hired 250 employees at its Chandler facility. The company has plans to fill 200 open positions and eventually expand its Chandler workforce by another 50 employees over the next year and a half. These jobs are part of the Chandler launch vehicles division’s expansion plan that was announced in November 2016. Orbital ATK’s launch vehicle business in Chandler began in the 1980s and has grown to nearly 1,600 employees. The business provides rockets for commercial, civil and government customers.
Rich Straka, VP and general manager of Orbital ATK’s Launch Vehicles Division, said he is looking forward to expanding the company’s business in Chandler. “The launch vehicles we design and manufacture here are instrumental in providing cargo to the crews on the International Space Station, space and earth science, and in defending the nation. We appreciate the State of Arizona and City of Chandler for providing support that enables Orbital ATK to continue to execute on these vital programs for our country.”
Tibshraeny said he appreciated Orbital ATK’s continued faith in the City expressed through their selection of Chandler for this expansion project. “Orbital ATK has long been an anchor on the Price Corridor and a vital contributor to Chandler’s reputation as the Innovation and Technology Hub of the Southwest.”
Orbital ATK has three major facilities in the Valley: The launch systems group in Chandler, space systems group in Gilbert and defense systems group in Mesa. The Mesa facility also is in the process of expansion with a new munitions warehouse. (AZBEX, March 6)
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