Hoyer Participates in Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, Tour of ATK's Spacecraft Systems & Services Facility

Hoyer Delivers Remarks on the Importance of Local Manufacturing and the Make It In America Plan to Create Jobs

BELTSVILLE, MD – This afternoon, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) attended the grand opening of two new facilities at ATK's Spacecraft Systems & Services facility in Beltsville. This expansion will allow ATK to meet increased demand for its premier aerospace products and technologies from government, commercial and international customers. It will also result in the addition of up to 50 new manufacturing positions and could yield an additional 150 jobs in the next 12-18 months.

"I am pleased to join the men and women of ATK today to help officially open their new facilities," stated Congressman Hoyer. "Both our short-term jobs recovery and long-term economic competitiveness depend on sustaining and expanding our advanced manufacturing sector, which is exactly what is happening here in Beltsville. I have been leading that effort in Congress by pushing the Make It In America plan to create jobs and grow the economy by investing in education, innovation, and creating the conditions for businesses to launch and expand. With today's announcement comes the promise of up to 150 new jobs right here in Maryland. That promise is how we'll recover our economy, put more of our people back to work, and enable more Americans to make it in this country."

The Democrats' "Make It In America" plan is an important initiative to create jobs and grow the economy by investing in education, innovation, and creating the conditions for businesses to launch and expand.  By strengthening American manufacturing, this plan will create jobs and help companies, like ATK, grow in sectors across our economy.

Spacecraft Systems & Services, a division of ATK Aerospace Systems Group, provides a broad portfolio of products and services in Beltsville that include integrated satellite bus systems, world-class multidisciplinary engineering services and market leading integrated thermal control systems. ATK's integrated thermal control systems are used by almost all U.S. government and commercial satellites.

"This expansion clearly expresses our commitment to grow good, high paying manufacturing and technical jobs even in a challenging economy," said Tom Wilson, VP and GM of ATK Spacecraft Systems and Services. "Our strategic plan for growth in the aerospace market is generating a strong return on investment—right here in Maryland. The increased demand for our world class space thermal systems and potential for new business from our Robotic RPO Lab demonstrate our reputation for execution excellence and the ability to compete for business in emerging markets. We are creating the future for our operation in two high growth markets with the intent to generate additional business and strengthen our presence in Maryland."

The two new facilities include an expanded manufacturing center at the Company's Integrated Thermal System plant and a new robotic laboratory for potential customers in both the military and civil space communities. The enlarged manufacturing facility will improve production capacity by approximately 20%, add more space for work on existing contracts totaling $35 million and create up to fifty new jobs.

The other newly opened facility, the Robotic Rendezvous and Proximity Operations Lab, allows ATK to demonstrate and verify critical enabling technologies for today's more complicated space missions. The development of technology for controlled approach and docking between multiple spacecraft supports growing customer demand for International Space Station resupply, orbital debris removal, satellite servicing, and more.  The lab uses state of the art robotic and air-bearing testbeds to simulate satellite motion and facilitate hardware and software development. The facility also supports ATK's recently introduced satellite life extension service, ViviSat.

ATK is an aerospace, defense and commercial products company with operations in 22 states, Puerto Rico, and internationally with revenues of approximately $4.8 billion. For more information and news on ATK, click here.