Northrop Grumman recently unveiled a new section of its manufacturing center in Beavercreek, Ohio—the latest addition to a growing aerospace cluster centered in nearby Dayton. The company has had a presence in Ohio for over 30 years.
“Northrop Grumman has expanded our operations in Beavercreek and grown our aerospace workforce at this site by more than 50 percent since early 2017,” said Wendy Williams, vice president and general manager of Aerospace Structures.
The new 35,000-square-foot expansion builds on a previous extension of the Beavercreek facility in 2017-2018. That expansion occurred after Northrop was awarded a $90 million contract to supply high temperature composites for the U.S. military, including the hot trailing edge (HTE) of the B-2, which is located behind the exhaust nozzles on the bomber’s upper surface. Williams said that workers at the plant have had to keep pace with the B-2's growing demands, working to make parts "invisible" to radar as the plane itself evades radar detection.
The 154,000-square-foot facility currently has more than 140 employees and produces advanced aerospace and defense composite structures. The expansion will enable new work on strategic aerospace programs to be performed at the site, diversifying the facility’s portfolio.
In addition to the work at Beavercreek, Northrop also supports customers at the nearby Wright Patterson Air Force Base—the heart of U.S. Air Force logistics, including the military force’s Materiel Command, Research Laboratory and Life Cycle Management Center. The base is also the logistics and support home to several Northrop aircraft, including the B-2 Stealth Bomber and the Global Hawk UAV.
Last year, the aerospace and defense company expanded its holdings in Dayton by acquiring Orbital ATK for $9.2 billion. Orbital is one of the contractors working with Northrop to produce the B-21 Raider—similar to the B-2.
The Dayton aerospace cluster has grown as industry profits have soared. Just last year PricewaterhouseCoopers named Ohio as the sixth most attractive state for aerospace manufacturing—with Dayton leading the way. In 2015, the Dayton region accounted for over $2.6 billion in sales for the aerospace and aviation industries.
Northrop isn’t the only aerospace company invested in the region: GE Aviation, Honeywell and United Technologies all have manufacturing facilities in the 14-county area surrounding Dayton. Many of the local aerospace manufacturers are suppliers to Boeing and Airbus.
Want to find out more about the growing aerospace industry? Check out Aerospace Sector Posts Strong Q2 Results Amid Concerns Over Trade War.