RUAG Space, a leading product supplier to the space industry, held a celebratory reception in its new Decatur, Alabama facility to showcase the progress toward full production capabilities.
Led by RUAG Group CEO Urs Breitmeier, the RUAG team welcomed close to 200 community leaders, members of the space industry, media and various other supporters to the event. The facility – stretching over 130,000 square feet and collocating with one of its major customers United Launch Alliance – is designed to manufacture and assemble composite structures for launch vehicles. First machinery and equipment, such as the Final Integration Station for Interstage Adapters, are already in place.
Urs Breitmeier, RUAG group CEO, expressed the company’s commitment, “The United States are the largest space market, and we want to contribute, by being close to our customers, investing here, and creating jobs. While this Decatur facility will take up its operations in only a few months’ time, we also grow our broader U.S. presence – with now four sites. Going forward, an even broader spectrum of our services, capabilities and proven standards will be accessible in the U.S.”
RUAG is not only building the first U.S. manufacturing site for launcher products, it is also one of the most advanced with new processes being applied. The facility and its equipment will be state-of-the-art in the space industry.
On stage, RUAG representatives were joined by U.S. Senator Luther Strange, U.S. Congressman Mo Brooks, Alabama Senator Arthur Orr, Mayor of Decatur Tab Bowling and Morgan County Commissioner Ray Long, – all showing support for the continued growth within Alabama and appreciation for the strong U.S. workforce that RUAG is building. The city of Decatur and the state of Alabama had been of great support on this journey.
Senator Luther Strange added: “The RUAG Space USA partnership with ULA will help keep our state on the cutting edge of aerospace innovation. I am proud of the highly qualified Alabamians who will pave the way here in Decatur, and I will continue to stand behind their efforts in Washington.”
RUAG Space has opened locations in four states across the country. From the large composites manufacturing facility in Decatur, Alabama; to the newest engineering facility located in Silicon Valley; the Denver engineering office; and the Florida production facility for satellite structures, each site combines to make up RUAG’s U.S. team.
In less than two years, almost 50 new jobs have been created within RUAG Space USA, with an expected two-year growth plan of over 100 employees, in the Decatur facility alone. The large composites manufacturing facility will be utilized for the production of fairings, interstage adapters and heat shields, with the capabilities for expansion.