Nordam Starts on New Facility in Wichita

TULSA, Okla., Aug. 31 – The NORDAM Group will broke ground last Thursday on a new 120,000-square-foot facility in Wichita, Kan., for its Interiors and Structures division., nearly tripling the size of its existing Wichita manufacturing space. NORDAM is building a new facility to accommodate increasing demand from the business aviation market, prepare for new program opportunities, and anticipate customer needs. The facility is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2007.

"Right now, we are steadily busy in our Wichita plant working to meet the demand for our cabinetry," said Gary Ball, vice president and general manager of NORDAM Interiors and Structures division. "Our current programs are running at a quick pace and new programs will be coming in the doors shortly. We are taking steps now to stay ahead of the curve."

The plans for a new Wichita facility follow the recent opening of NORDAM Brazil, a 20,000 square foot joint venture interiors facility with Jet Star. Since 2001, NORDAM has produced custom cabinetry for the Embraer Legacy 600 and the new location, located five minutes from Embraer’s headquarters, demonstrates NORDAM's commitment to its customers. "Proximity promotes reliability and enhances our ability to communicate with Embraer to meet their needs," said Ball. “The same principles hold true for our customers in Wichita."

NORDAM supplies aircraft cabinetry and interior components for several original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Embraer, Gulfstream, Bombardier, Dassault, and Pilatus Aircraft, which recently extended its PC-12 cabinetry contract with NORDAM, and several new programs are on the horizon.

"As busy as we are, we aren’t looking to rest. We are constantly searching for the new program that will continue to open doors NORDAM in the interiors market," said Ball. "Our quality is building a reputation in the industry, but we won't be satisfied until our units are the first choice for every business jet customer."

The new facility, designed by Folger and Associates, will be located at 9175 E. 35th Street North.

The NORDAM Group, headquartered in Tulsa, Okla., is one of the largest independently owned aerospace companies in the world. It is also one of the world's largest third-party providers of maintenance, repair and overhaul services to the military, commercial airline and air freight markets. In addition, NORDAM designs, certifies and manufactures integrated propulsion systems, nacelles and thrust reversers for business jets. NORDAM also manufactures interior shells, custom cabinetry, radomes, and aircraft transparencies such as cabin windows, wing tip lenses and simulator screens. The company employs approximately 2,400 people around the globe, with facilities in the U.S., United Kingdom, and Singapore. Additional information is available at www.nordam.com.