Air Transport Components MRO services company announces plans for Tulsa facility
Air Transport Components has operated a Federal Aviation Administration/European Union Aviation Safety Agency repair station for more than 20 years in Gilbert, Ariz. The company has announced plans to open a 60,000-square-foot facility to employ 50 people in Tulsa. (Courtesy photo)
Air Transport Components, a company that provides maintenance, repair and overhaul, or MRO, services for components on commercial and military aircraft, has announced plans to open a 60,000-square-foot facility in Tulsa.
The site, to employ 50 people, will provide non-destructive testing, grinding, painting and thermal spray coatings and will offer additional services for aerospace clients in the future, ATC said in a release.
Based in Gilbert, Arizona, ATC does MRO work for Boeing, Airbus and other major aircraft companies. It said it has planned an immediate investment of $5 million in the facility in Tulsa, to be located at 6728 E. 11th, along Route 66.
The company announced its plans while representatives were attending recent Aviation Week events in Dallas,. ATC Chief Executive Officer Jimmy Newman said Oklahoma has a rising reputation in the aerospace industry.
“The MRO and aerospace workforce in Oklahoma is unmatched and was certainly the deciding factor when looking at expansion options,” he said.
According to the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, over the last several years the state has earned nearly $1 billion in investment by aerospace and defense companies.
“Our state is known for its prowess in MRO and I’m pleased that ATC saw the potential in our exceptional aerospace workforce as well as proximity to customers and supply chain,” Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Workforce Development Scott Mueller said.
In Arizona, privately owned ATC has operated a Federal Aviation Administration/European Union Aviation Safety Agency repair center for more than 20 years. Approved by all major airlines, its services include repair of airframe, structural, and hydraulic components as well as complete landing gear overhauls.
In Tulsa, ATC will provide services such as high velocity oxygen fuel thermal spray coating, which increases corrosion protection and wear resistance in parts.
“Due to increased volume, new capabilities, and the unique opportunities that the state of Oklahoma provides, ATC decided to expand its strong industry brand into Tulsa,” Newman said.
According to the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, more than 1,100 aerospace entities operate in the state, including manufacturers, MRO providers, and research and development entities. More than 120,000 Oklahomans are employed in the state’s aerospace and defense sectors.
“We applaud the Department of Commerce and our Tulsa’s Future partners, who helped secure this project.” Tulsa Regional Chamber Senior Vice President of Economic Development Arthur Jackson said. “Our region’s long-standing history in the aerospace industry and our highly skilled workforce make northeast Oklahoma the ideal place to support ATC’s growing operations.”
Oklahoma’s central location and work force have made the state ideal as a hub for MRO activity, the Commerce Department said. American Airlines runs the largest single-site commercial aircraft MRO facility in the world at Tulsa International Airport. The largest Department of Defense air depot is at Tinker Air Force Base, and the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City is the nation’s hub for FAA and U.S. Department of Transportation training, logistics, and aeromedical research, responsible for training more than 76,000 students annually. journalrecord.com