On July 15, Boeing will conduct a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its newest facility located in Oklahoma City. The 290,000-square-foot (26,942-square-meter) engineering, research and development laboratory building will be the new headquarters for the airframer’s Global Services & Support Aircraft Modernization and Sustainment (AM&S) division, and workplace to approximately 800 employees. Boeing has been investing in Oklahoma for some years, having been attracted, according to the state's Department of Commerce by a positive business climate, relatively low cost of utilities, and job-growth programs.
The announcement highlights the U.S. state’s message here at Farnborough (Hall 2, Booth B38) describing its status as one of the world’s fastest growing aerospace clusters over the past seven years, with companies such as Mitsubishi, which currently has an MRO center for supporting its MU-2 twin turboprop, and is considering Oklahoma as a possible location for a service center to maintain its new MRJ narrowbody airliner. Also in place in Oklahoma are Asco Industries, Rolls-Royce Engines, Lufthansa Technik and Ferra Engineering, establishing facilities there during that period.
Around 120,000 people in Oklahoma work in the aerospace and defense sectors with around 500 companies including Northrop-Grumman, Pratt & Whitney, Nordam and Spirit Aerosystems. The state has a strong emphasis on MRO activity, with American Airlines’ Tulsa center serving as the largest such facility in the world. Unmanned air systems and components manufacturing are also well represented.
The value of the industry output from the state increased from $12 billion (€10.7 billion) in 2012 to $27 billion (€24.1 billion) in 2014, and Oklahoma-based companies are now exporting to more than 170 countries. The state has actively worked to improve its industry climate by offering several tax-based incentives for attracting aerospace companies and talent. An aerospace engineering tax credit provides a $5,000 (€4,462) per year tax rebate to engineers hired into the Oklahoma aerospace industry as well as a 10 percent tax credit to companies for hiring in-state graduates, a 5 percent credit for those from other states, and a 50 percent tax credit for reimbursement of tuition costs.