Alabama aerospace boom continues, Lockheed announces major expansion

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February 20, 2015

US Marines fire a Javelin Missile, one of the missiles assembled and tested at the Troy, Alabama facility

Troy, Ala. — Defense contractor and aerospace company Lockheed Martin is expanding operations at its missile production program near Troy, in Pike County, Alabama, adding an estimated 240 jobs.

“Despite the challenging economy we’ve experienced over the last five years, we’ve continued to grow here by over 65 percent,” David Anderson, Pike County Operations Site Director, said in a press conference Thursday.

In addition to the jobs, Lockheed Martin is expecting to spend $40 million on capital improvements to the facility, and inject $500 million into the local economy over the next three years.

“We expect to indirectly support another 1,000 jobs through construction expansion, services, capital investments and all the things we do to continue to grow and for us to support our customer, which are the men and women in uniform,” Production Operations Vice President Randy O’Neal said.

The state is investing $2.5 million in the facility, as well, as part of a plan Governor Robert Bentley says will attract and retain companies, while the initial investment is returned to the state in the form of taxes.

Lockheed Martin also has operations on Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, where missile variants are researched and developed and defense products assembled in Troy are tested.

The new jobs at the Troy facility will be high tech, requiring training through a Alabama Industrial Development program. Those interested in a job as a missile assembler should apply for the program at www.aidt.gov/jobs

Though the company had several facilities from which to choose for this expansion, Mr. O’Neal said there was one very important reason they decided on Troy.

“People here are incredible. They are fantastic. They come to work everyday. They know what their job is, they understand their purpose for being here.”

(H/T WSFA)