Monday, August 10, 2009

Cox Machine, a manufacturing company specializing in precision parts and assemblies for the aerospace industry, plans to expand its facility at 5338 West 21st in Wichita.

The company is planning a $4.4 million capital investment, including a 30,000 square-foot expansion at its main facility and manufacturing machinery and equipment. Smith Construction Co., Inc. will be the contractor on the expansion.

“Wichita is our home and we are extremely pleased to continue to build here on the principals that have brought us to this point – our commitment to customers of quality, dependability and service,” said Steve Cox, CEO with Cox Machine.

Brenna Davis, Chief Operations Officer, said the company plans to retain its current 76 full-time jobs and create 50 new jobs over the next three years to five years with a projected average total annual payroll of $4.6 million and an average wage of $37,000.

“Cox Machine is a tremendous example of a successful home-grown company that continues to build and expand, and it’s important that Sedgwick County is where they expand,” said Kelly Parks, Sedgwick County Chairman.

“Cox Machine’s facilities are designed for lean manufacturing and product flow allowing us to be globally competitive and supply short lead times to our customers”, said Jason Cox, Chief Technology Officer for the company. The new expansion will allow Cox to meet future needs of clients by expanding its machining capabilities to serve its client base, which includes Spirit AeroSystems, Boeing, Cessna, Hawker Beechcraft, Eaton, Goodrich, Vought Aircraft Industries, including divisions in Florida and California.

“This announcement demonstrates that companies are looking toward the future and seeing opportunity,” said Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer. “We must do everything we can to continue to help strengthen our aviation supplier base so they can compete globally.”

Robert Fettke, Regional Project Manager for the Kansas Department of Commerce said, “Cox Machine is not only a critical supplier to the aerospace and aircraft industry, but they are very important asset for our region as well. Having started in Wichita in 1954, and now operating multiple facilities in Sedgwick and Harper counties, the success of Cox Machine is very important to the State of Kansas. The State is excited to learn of Cox’s announcement to move forward with expansion plans in Kansas. We stand ready to assist, and look forward to Cox’s success and future growth in Kansas.”

GWEDC, working closely with the City of Wichita, Sedgwick County and the Kansas Department of Commerce, negotiated a package of incentives to secure capital investment and jobs for Wichita and Kansas. Local incentives will be voted on in coming weeks. State incentives may include training funds, High Performance Incentive Program and Enterprise Zone credits.

The Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition is the regional public-private partnership managed by the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce and charged with creating and executing the region’s business recruitment, retention and expansion plans and marketing the region.