Cobham Opens 'Green' Weapon Systems Factory
Cobham formally opened its new state-of-the-art, “green building” certified composites manufacturing facility in Suffolk, Va., with a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 3.
The 73,500-sq. ft. facility represents one of the country’s few high-volume production capabilities of advanced composite products for the aerospace and defense industries.
The company invested more than $5 million in just over four months to acquire and build the critical infrastructure necessary to establish this facility. Built in accordance with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification, the facility used locally manufactured and recycled materials, will use 30 percent less water than the baseline calculation, and includes bicycle storage and changing facilities to promote alternative transportation.
“The opening of Cobham Composite Products’ $9.2 million state-of-the-art facility is good news for the city of Suffolk as well as our nation’s defense industrial base,” said Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), who secured $3.1 million for production of the U.S. Air Force’s Miniature Air-Launched Decoy fuselage at the facility. “Cobham, an international leader in aerospace and defense manufacturing, hopes to generate more than 200 new jobs in the Suffolk area by 2014,” he added.