Aerospace tour brings ideas for locals Part I

By PATSY STODDARD Editor

Is there a place in Emery County for the aerospace industry? Emery County isn’t a stranger to aerospace as Green River was once the spot for an installation of the White Sands Missile base headquartered in New Mexico. The Athena, a four stage re-entry test vehicle was launched from Green River, into White Sands Missile range, New Mexico.
Green River in recent years has been the site for the intercollegiate rocket championships. Students from colleges around the world gather in the desert surrounding Green River to launch their rockets.
On Tuesday a gathering was held at Emery High which highlighted, STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Representatives from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Lockheed Martin representatives came to rural Utah to let students know what career choices there are in these fields and to introduce local businesses to opportunities that exist in these fields which they might capitalize upon.
What does your business need to do to become a supplier for the aerospace industry. You might be able to produce a part they need. Maybe you could supply towels or uniforms? The possibilities are endless.
Jordan Leonard, Emery County Economic Development Director welcomed everyone to the event.
Joe Rice is the director of government relations for Lockheed Martin. He said they have hosted similar tours to what they brought to Emery County in Colorado. Lockheed Martin has been involved in space exploration since the early days. They were part of the space shuttle program. Currently they are working on the Orion multi-purpose crew vehicle which will open a new chapter in the history of human space exploration.
Lockheed Martin has a big presence in Utah. They are located at Hill AirForce Base and 10 other locations. They have more than 400 employees in Utah and partners with more than 200 suppliers throughout the state.
The idea being presented this day was why not Emery County? Some of what these companies need can be done right here with existing businesses. “You can become a supplier or a subcontractor. You might be doing something right now that could transform with a little bit of work. We need everything. From computers, to office equipment to composites and electrical components, copiers, grounds keeping, H-Vac, there are a variety of possibilities for companies that provide services any large organization would use.
“We’re not here to set unrealistic expectations. Projects ongoing at this time, already have a supply chain. Getting in takes time. Plans are prepared many years out. But, the next generation of producers can be gearing up now. The lead time is fairly long. Sometimes we discover on these tours, companies that we didn’t know were here. These tours are important to get out and meet people and get them your contact information. You can also contact GOED or your local economic development office. They have our contact information. We have needs now and into the future. There’s a story of three engineers who wanted to live in Durango, Colo. they produce components for us from where they’re at. A new business trying to get in can take years, make sure you know it’s a long term investment. Current suppliers can look to branch out to other companies.
“Companies in Utah have similar characteristics including those in the energy industry. Many of those could work in aerospace.
“Gov. Gary Herbert and Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox get credit for this tour. Working with Hill Force base they have asked how to expand the supplier base beyond Salt Lake City and that’s where the idea for this road tour came about. We are visiting, Emery, Carbon and Uintah counties.
“It’s not important where the supplier is but that it’s a quality part delivered on time. We are also working to develop the next generation of the work force. We want kids to know they have opportunities in these areas.
“There are 1,000 aerospace companies here in Utah. Space is more important than ever, but we tend to realize that less. These things have become commonplace. But there is a challenge, we need to do a better job telling our story. There are consequences if space falls off the radar. In the beginning there were two superpowers in space, the United States and Russia. Now, we’re not leading, the two nations leading the way are China and Russia. The United States is still getting people into space, but it’s on a Russian rocket and it’s $75 million for one of our astronauts to ride along. That should bother us. We should be independent. We are on our way back with deep space exploration why not with more Utah businesses,” said Rice.
A supplier conference is also held where you can meet second and third tier contractors and assess existing opportunities.
One man was building wireless headsets in his kitchen that cut out 99 percent of noise. Be a commodity that the Air Force wants, be beneficial in some way.
George Hansen from Conductive Composites spoke, he has a company in Heber City which expanded into Emery County. He said the next war won’t be fought on the ground, but will be electromagnetic. Their business is understanding what electricity does to materials. “We do cool stuff, all businesses have to start small. Our first fibers were coated in a garage. The jobs you create make the economy. You want jobs like that, they’re good jobs. Brad Baird told me, that being a father isn’t the world’s greatest calling, but being an employer is a great calling, because you employ fathers who can in turn provide for their families. We make the wires for defibrillators. How many miles of cable on a plane? If you can save some money on cable that can add up.
Hansen showed a wallpaper that can be used to coat walls so no signals can get in. No bugs or wire taps. His products are used to deter threats. They create a bag you can put a phone in that shuts off the service.
Hexcel can’t make enough fiber “Can we make fiber from coal. Our process needs carbon monoxide that’s why we’re out in the country. When Praxair went down for a couple of months there was a shortage of C02. We make our own C02. When the gulf goes down, we have coal and wood here to make our own fibers.
“We need to bring aerospace back to Emery County. Find commercial uses of wartime materials.”
Superintendent Larry Davis asked what skills students needed for jobs at his facility. Hansen said they will train them on site. People who want to come home. We have hired people from other companies and brought them back to Utah.
“We need people who know how to make things. Quality parts that meet ISO standards. We need to set-up companies that can stand up to the high standards. We need those who are forward thinking and solve problems.
The representative from USU Eastern said they have an aerospace lab and would be happy to train workers and supply the company with interns.
Hansen recognized EAO Services in Lawrence who designed and built a machine they needed to produce their products. Hansen said another nice thing about doing business in Emery County was in meeting regulations. Permitting was easier than in a large area. Here in a smaller community things moved more quickly.
Hansen hopes to expand their business and build more buildings on their site in Cleveland. They are setting up separate companies to handle new growth. They have government contracts and are doing “Star Wars” technology. “Growth, it’s what we do,” said Hansen.
In next week’s Emery County Progress will be more information about the local businesses the tour visited. Week three will detail other opportunities.