Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition (GWEDC) announced that TECT Power will keep and expand its presence in Wichita. The company manufactures turbine engine and aircraft components and assemblies for aviation, industrial, and marine applications.

Renovating a space formerly occupied by its sister company, TECT Aerospace, at 2019 Southwest Boulevard in Wichita, TECT Power plans to invest more than $2.7 million in capital improvements, including machinery and equipment and building improvements. As part of the project, the company also plans to add 26 new jobs in the next five years, in addition to the existing 15-employee workforce in the facility.

“The greater Wichita area is one of the major aerospace manufacturing centers in the world, and its workforce and infrastructure enables TECT Power to provide our customers with high-technology, cost-competitive manufacturing and supply chain solutions,” said General Manager Derek Hallmark. “We are very happy to expand our presence here.”

TECT Power has five additional facilities located across the United States with customers throughout the aerospace, power generation, and marine industries, including Pratt & Whitney, General Electric, Rolls-Royce, Siemens, Spirit AeroSystems, and Carlton Forge. TECT Power’s sister company, TECT Aerospace is headquartered in Wichita and has manufacturing facilities in Wellington and Park City, as well as three facilities in the Seattle area.

“Companies like TECT Power are the backbone of our economy,” said Sedgwick County Chairman Karl Peterjohn. “We are glad that TECT Power is expanding here. This is additional evidence that this community is a place to invest and grow.”

GWEDC worked closely with Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita, as well as the Kansas Department of Commerce on a package of incentives to secure the capital investment and jobs for Wichita and Kansas. The Wichita City Council and Board of County Commissioners will be voting on the incentive package in coming weeks.

“It takes us working together to help our local companies choose to expand here, especially during these difficult economic times because every company makes a difference,” said Mayor Carl Brewer. “We thank TECT and its leadership for choosing Wichita.”

Bill Thornton, Secretary, Kansas Department of Commerce said. “We’re excited that TECT Power will expand its presence in Wichita. With a highly skilled workforce and established manufacturing infrastructure, Wichita continues to be an outstanding choice for aviation and aerospace companies. We thank TECT Power for its commitment to Wichita and the entire state of Kansas.”

Vicki Pratt Gerbino said, "It’s vital that we help companies make a competitive case for investing here; and equally important for us to strengthen our State & local tool kit to be a viable competitor against other locations.”

GWEDC is the regional public/private partnership managed by the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce and charged with creating and executing the community’s business recruitment, retention and expansion plans and marketing the region.