New York Governor Spitzer Visits Chemung County Facility To Highlight Upstate Aerospace Industry

Chemung County Facility to Customize BLACKHAWK Helicopters Public Private Investment at Sikorsky Creates 100 New Jobs; Retains 500

October 5, 2007 -- New York Governor Eliot Spitzer today celebrates the opening of Sikorsky's new $15.5 million, 100,000 square-foot helicopter completion center in Big Flats. The new facility, funded in part through state funds, will create 100 new jobs and retain over 500. The state contributed nearly $2.7 million to the project.

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The high-tech facility, located at the Elmira/Corning Regional Airport will customize BLACKHAWK and Naval Hawk military helicopters for specialized missions. The helicopters have been used on numerous missions ranging from combat to disaster relief to drug interdiction, and have been flown by the New York Air and Army National Guard, the United States armed forces, and United States allies.

"Soldiers around the globe stake their lives on the Blackhawk name being the best in the world, and they can rest assured that 'Made in New York' means the workmanship is second to none," said Governor Spitzer. "Sikorsky Aircraft's decision to locate their facility in Chemung County is positive news for the Southern Tier. The new facility solidifies the region as a preeminent base for the aerospace industry to expand in the 21st century."

Sikorsky President Jeff Pino said: "We are excited and proud to open this new building, but the significance of today's ceremony is much larger than the building itself. Sikorsky is increasing its global presence in the helicopter industry, and this new building represents a major step along that path. As strategically envisioned, the HAWKWORKS center will fulfill several roles that are essential for our steady growth and continued competitiveness. These include strengthening our supply chain, enhancing our quality system through process discipline and standard work, and most importantly, honoring the increasingly more demanding expectations of our U.S. government and international customers."

Daniel Gundersen, Upstate Chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation, said: "Companies such as Sikorsky, BAE, and Lockheed are part of the backbone of the I-86 corridor, but let me assure you, their reach extends far past the regional economy, these companies and their workforces are known across the world as high-tech industry leaders."

The new facility has been leased to Sikorsky by the Chemung County Industrial Development Agency for the next 15 years. Funding came from the following state agencies: The Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) ($500,000), the Governor's Office for Small Cities ($730,000), the New York State Department of Transportation ($950,000), and the Community Capital Access Program ($500,000).

The Military Derivates Completion Center (MDCC) will receive 30 aircrafts in 2008; and an additional 50 in 2009 from its parent company, United Technologies of Connecticut, for customization and modification based on owner specifications.

Source: New York Governor