HUNTSVILLE — Colorado-based Special Aerospace Services (SAS) has become the latest company to expand its operations in Cummings Research Park, further adding to the industrial might of the Rocket City.
According to the firm, its new Huntsville location will house federal services, research, and special activities, as well as an engineering and training space, high bay assembly, advanced manufacturing, and research bays. The facility, called “The Campus,” will be developed to include two major buildings, creating 30 high technology jobs.
SAS says the expansion is part of the company’s strategy to expedite its strategic, tactical, manufacturing, logistics, and research and development activities.
Special Aerospace Services (SAS) CEO Heather Bulk announces the firm’s groundbreaking on its 55,000 sq ft expansion project on Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park. pic.twitter.com/xIRGiHTchk
— Dylan Smith (@DylanSmithAL) September 29, 2021
Heather Bulk, SAS co-founder, president, and CEO told Yellowhammer News that the more research the company conducted, Alabama and the city of Huntsville quickly emerged as the best location to expand operations.
“When we were looking at doing our expansion, we took a nationwide approach to the search,” said Bulk. “We really evaluated the states as well as the cities for the best opportunity for our success and our partnership with the community.”
She added, “We just kept coming back to Huntsville over and over. It wasn’t just the incentives, it wasn’t just the people, the culture or our clients located here, it was a culmination of all those things. “The recent legislation that came through to support small businesses, and specifically women-owned businesses, it was the tipping point – it was very compelling.”
The legislation Bulk referred to was HB 192, which creates a new jobs credit for underrepresented businesses and provides incentives for new and existing businesses looking to expand into rural areas. Bulk has become one of the first businesswomen to leverage the recently-passed legislation.
Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) enthusiastically welcomed SAS to North Alabama.
“Colorado-based SAS is a valuable addition to the dynamic roster of nimble and highly competent aerospace businesses in Alabama’s ‘Rocket City,” said Ivey. “I know that SAS will find a welcoming home in Huntsville, where it can harness the technical know how and leverage the partnerships it needs to grow and thrive.”
Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield echoed Ivey’s sentiments, saying that the company will assist in facilitating initiatives to promote STEM opportunities to students seeking to enter the workforce.
“Alabama is committed to having a business climate that affords underrepresented businesses a reason to locate here and thrive here,” said Canfield. “An innovative small business like SAS will not only bring vitality to our business community but also provide a boost for our efforts to elevate STEM education and careers.”
Yellowhammer News spoke with Mayor Tommy Battle, who expressed excitement over the seemingly boundless growth potential of Huntsville.
“This is another special day. It seems like every day we’re having a ribbon-cutting, another event,” said Battle. “Today, we have SAS, which is a space aeronautic company which is expanding. Each day we see some type of expansion, some kind of growth and it’s a great thing. Our biggest challenge right now is making sure that we grow that infrastructure, that quality of life – we grow it along with the industry and the jobs that come in here. By doing that, we’ll continue to grow generation after generation.”
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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