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| Governor Susana Martinez and Mayor Richard Berry at the announcement of Bendix King's newest venture in Albuquerque. |
Published online Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Article by Kevin Robinson-Avila, Senior Reporter-New Mexico Business Weekly
Avionics company Bendix/King will locate its information technology R&D and support services, as well as marketing functions, at a new 40,000-square-foot headquarters at the Honeywell facility in north Albuquerque.
Bendix/King, a division of Honeywell, has been based in Kansas for years, where it manufacturers avionics products and offers repair and overhaul services for light aircraft, Bendix/King President Kevin Gould told the Business Weekly.
“The manufacturing operations will remain in Kansas,” Gould said. “We’ll staff the Albuquerque office with engineers for IT support functions. We’re renovating a 40,000-square-foot space in the downstairs area of the Honeywell facility that will include testing labs and work spaces.”
Gould accompanied Gov. Susana Martinez and other public officials at a news conference Tuesday morning at Honeywell to announce Bendix/King’s move to New Mexico.
Bendix/King expects to hire 100 people this year for the Albuquerque operation, and another 40 in 2013.
Gould said the company looked at many places nationwide to establish its new headquarters, but it chose Albuquerque because of the state’s business-friendly environment, a good local pool of experienced talent and the state’s great flying weather.
“It’s a good location,” Gould said. “It’s easy to attract people to work here, and it’s easy to get in and out for travel to other markets.”
Albuquerque has a vibrant aviation industry and a history of attracting aerospace companies, Gould said, such as very-light-jet manufacturer Eclipse Aerospace Inc.
“There are many startups and other more established aviation firms here,” Gould said. “It makes for a good mixture of aerospace products, services and talent.”
The company is working with one local avionics manufacturer, Aspen Avionics, Inc., to develop a GPS navigation system for general aviation aircraft, Gould added.
“We contracted Aspen to assist with development and certification of a WAAS-enabled [Wide Area Augmentation System] GPS navigator that takes GPS signals and makes them more accurate,” he said.
Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry, who spoke at the news conference, said Bendix/King’s arrival improves Albuquerque’s reputation as a “center of excellence.”
“This is creating high-paying jobs, and people will be looking more at Albuquerque as a center of excellence,” Berry said. “Aviation is one of the core industries that we’re trying to attract here.”
Berry told the Business Weekly that Albuquerque is working to target cluster development in different industries, including aviation and renewable energy.
“These are economic base jobs,” Berry said. “The more we attract companies like this, the more attractive Albuquerque becomes to other businesses.”
A recent study by the New Mexico Aviation/Aerospace Association shows that between 200 and 300 companies operate in New Mexico, generating about $1.7 billion in business annually. They include everything from maintenance and repair firms to avionics manufacturers and charter companies.
Association co-founder Bill McMillan said Bendix/King’s move to Albuquerque shows that efforts to recruit more aviation and aerospace companies is gaining traction.
“Three other [aviation] manufacturing companies are very interested in coming to New Mexico,” McMillan said. “I’m under nondisclosure agreements, but they’re every bit as impressive as Bendix/King. They’re companies that have been in business for 50-plus years.”
McMillan said New Mexico’s vast open air space and 335-plus days of flying weather are big draws for aviation companies that need to do training and perform R&D testing.
The more companies like Bendix/King locate here, the easier it is to recruit other firms, he added.
“The momentum grows as more companies come to town,” McMillan said. “It broadens the local base of suppliers and support services for the industry, which lowers costs and makes the business environment more attractive.”
Bendix/King, a division of Honeywell, has been based in Kansas for years, where it manufacturers avionics products and offers repair and overhaul services for light aircraft, Bendix/King President Kevin Gould told the Business Weekly.
“The manufacturing operations will remain in Kansas,” Gould said. “We’ll staff the Albuquerque office with engineers for IT support functions. We’re renovating a 40,000-square-foot space in the downstairs area of the Honeywell facility that will include testing labs and work spaces.”
Gould accompanied Gov. Susana Martinez and other public officials at a news conference Tuesday morning at Honeywell to announce Bendix/King’s move to New Mexico.
Bendix/King expects to hire 100 people this year for the Albuquerque operation, and another 40 in 2013.
Gould said the company looked at many places nationwide to establish its new headquarters, but it chose Albuquerque because of the state’s business-friendly environment, a good local pool of experienced talent and the state’s great flying weather.
“It’s a good location,” Gould said. “It’s easy to attract people to work here, and it’s easy to get in and out for travel to other markets.”
Albuquerque has a vibrant aviation industry and a history of attracting aerospace companies, Gould said, such as very-light-jet manufacturer Eclipse Aerospace Inc.
“There are many startups and other more established aviation firms here,” Gould said. “It makes for a good mixture of aerospace products, services and talent.”
The company is working with one local avionics manufacturer, Aspen Avionics, Inc., to develop a GPS navigation system for general aviation aircraft, Gould added.
“We contracted Aspen to assist with development and certification of a WAAS-enabled [Wide Area Augmentation System] GPS navigator that takes GPS signals and makes them more accurate,” he said.
Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry, who spoke at the news conference, said Bendix/King’s arrival improves Albuquerque’s reputation as a “center of excellence.”
“This is creating high-paying jobs, and people will be looking more at Albuquerque as a center of excellence,” Berry said. “Aviation is one of the core industries that we’re trying to attract here.”
Berry told the Business Weekly that Albuquerque is working to target cluster development in different industries, including aviation and renewable energy.
“These are economic base jobs,” Berry said. “The more we attract companies like this, the more attractive Albuquerque becomes to other businesses.”
A recent study by the New Mexico Aviation/Aerospace Association shows that between 200 and 300 companies operate in New Mexico, generating about $1.7 billion in business annually. They include everything from maintenance and repair firms to avionics manufacturers and charter companies.
Association co-founder Bill McMillan said Bendix/King’s move to Albuquerque shows that efforts to recruit more aviation and aerospace companies is gaining traction.
“Three other [aviation] manufacturing companies are very interested in coming to New Mexico,” McMillan said. “I’m under nondisclosure agreements, but they’re every bit as impressive as Bendix/King. They’re companies that have been in business for 50-plus years.”
McMillan said New Mexico’s vast open air space and 335-plus days of flying weather are big draws for aviation companies that need to do training and perform R&D testing.
The more companies like Bendix/King locate here, the easier it is to recruit other firms, he added.
“The momentum grows as more companies come to town,” McMillan said. “It broadens the local base of suppliers and support services for the industry, which lowers costs and makes the business environment more attractive.”
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