L.A. aerospace firm building facility in Mesa, hiring 200
BYLINE: Mike Sunnucks
A Los Angeles aerospace company is buying land in the East Valley to build a production facility that could have as many as 200 workers.
Dukes Aerospace Inc. soon will acquire more than 10 acres near Williams Gateway Airport and the General Motors Proving Ground in Mesa.
The company, based in Northridge in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley, wants to build a 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on that site for its GST Industries subsidiary, said Dukes Vice President Bill Greer.
GST and Dukes manufacture aerospace and aviation parts, including air valves, cabin-pressure parts and operating systems, landing gear and steering controls, and other mechanical components. The companies sell parts to commercial aviation manufacturers as well as defense contractors.
Greer said the aerospace plant is slated to be built and operational in 2008 and, if things go well, more buildings may be added to accommodate up to 200 employees. He said the East Valley's aerospace and aviation sector attracted the company to the Valley suburb.
"There's a real good labor pool to tap into," Greer said.
The company currently has 20 workers at a leased facility near Falcon Field in Mesa and another 155 in the Los Angeles area. Dukes acquired GST in 2005 and moved its Redondo Beach, Calif., unit to Mesa to take advantage of cheaper operating costs in Arizona.
Greer said having the plant in the Phoenix area instead of L.A. results in 25 percent lower costs.
The company is working with the city of Mesa on rezoning the 10-acre parcel to meet its industrial use needs and soon will talk to the Arizona Department of Commerce regarding possible job-training grants and assistance.
The Phoenix area has a lengthy history as an aviation and aerospace hub. The region was a prime training ground for pilots during World War II, and Luke Air Force Base in Glendale continues to be a top training center for F-16 pilots.
Boeing Co. manufactures Apache helicopters in Mesa, and Honeywell International Inc. has aerospace production operations in Glendale and Phoenix. Honeywell's Glendale facility does work for NASA and its space shuttle program.
"The aerospace industry is alive and well in Arizona," said David Drennon, spokesman for the Arizona Department of Commerce. "Our state currently ranks in the top 10 for related aerospace exports in the United States."
In Arizona, some 420-500 companies employ more than 250,000 professionals within the industry, with average salaries of $63,000.
Drennon was not aware of any official agency discussions with Dukes or GST.
Greater Phoenix Economic Council President Barry Broome said his economic group helped recruit GST from Southern California and attracting aerospace firms from that region is a major focus of GPEC's efforts.
Broome said GPEC also is helping Mesa and East Valley groups promote the Williams Gateway area as an aerospace hub.
Get connected
GST Industries: www.gstindustries.com
Dukes Aerospace: www.dukesinc.com