David J. Barton
ITT Exelis opened its newest composite design and manufacturing center Aug. 9 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the company said Thursday, as it ramps up investment in broad-based government and commercial solutions.
The company has added 250,000 square feet to its Salt Lake City office and hired more than 100 new personnel over the past year as part of its expansion plans.
“Strong demand from our domestic and international customers has fueled this expansion,“ said Jim Barber, vice president and general manager of the Exelis Electronic Systems Integrated Structures business.
He added that Exelis aims for the facility to leverage “our core strengths and capabilities as we invest in new technologies to meet the needs of our customers and the aerospace industry.“
Facility goals include contributing to higher capacity and heightened automation capability when producing advanced commercial and military composite aircraft structures.
Exelis-manufactured products are used with aircraft and vacuum tanks for several Boeing 7-series jets, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the Marine Corps“™ heavy lift helicopter.
Exelis said airframers are increasingly using composite structures as a substitute for metal structural parts in unmanned aerial vehicles and commercial and military aircraft.
Composite structures help lessen the aircraft“™s weight and fuel consumption and also enhance its resistance to in-flight stress and environmental conditions, according to the announcement.
The new facility currently hosts automated fiber placement, tape laying capability and high speed machining, inspection and assembly.
The company has been designing and manufacturing composite structures in Utah for more than 40 years.
