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Falcon Field Area Alliance - E-Newsletter Fall 2008
Contents
- Going Green in the Falcon Field Business District
- Weathering the Volatile Economy
- Falcon Field Business District at a Glance
Going Green in the Falcon Field Business District
Not a day goes by in the news and commercials that we do not hear something about going green, energy sustainability, or saving the environment. The business case for going green is growing stronger and green development increasingly has become a prime agenda in boardrooms. Recently, two companies who are involved in the green revolution have chosen the Falcon Field Business District as their new home.
SolFocus, a solar energy company, has located a manufacturing facility in the business district. SolFocus is a leading supplier of solar energy solutions for power plant developers, municipalities, industrial sites and utilities. The company’s mission is to provide innovative solar energy solutions which are competitive with fossil fuels. To achieve this goal, SolFocus has developed new and leveraged existing technologies that will reduce the cost barriers to solar energy. SolFocus has an expanding portfolio of products and technologies including solar concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems, intelligent tracking systems for CPV and flat panel PV systems, and is expanding into other solar technologies.
Solfocus is headquartered in Mountain View, California with European operations in Madrid, Spain. In addition to their facility in Mesa they have manufacturing partners in India and China.
Also moving into the business district is Waxie Sanitary Supply who is moving their entire regional operation from Tempe to Mesa. Their new building is projected to be a LEED certified facility which will employ the latest in lighting, heating and cooling technologies. The new structure will include matting made of recycled materials, water-efficient landscaping, and will maximize use of the outdoor lighting to light the interior. When completed, the building will also have alternative parking spaces for fuel-efficient vehicles and bike racks to encourage environmentally-aware travel. The company will also pursue air quality testing for a healthy building, as well as implement internal recycling and green cleaning programs. Waxie Sanitary Supply is headquartered in San Diego.
Green may be one of the hottest topics today, but unlike other trends, it’s not a fad. It is going to be an enduring part of how we all do business on a going-forward basis.
Weathering the Volatile Economy
In today’s economy, it makes sense to take a look at some locations in the United States that have continued to grow in these very challenging time but we really don’t have to look very far. The Falcon Field Business District with its strong tradition in manufacturing is thriving and its companies are continuing to grow and expand. With Falcon Field Airport as the basic infrastructure, the business district is a successful employment center employing over 11,000 people and generating over $2.1 billion annually in economic impact.
Recent happenings include:
Nammo Talley was awarded a $51.76 million contract with the US Marine Corps for a shoulder-launched multipurpose assault weapon system. - ATK was awarded a $54.5 million contract from the U.S. Army to produce Mk19 Mod-3 grenade machine guns.
- Boeing was awarded an $80 million contract from the U.S. Army for Apache helicopters and the outlook is very good for a multi-billion dollar international order.
- MD Helicopters has a backlog of orders for their commercial helicopters and they continue to grow their employment base.
- Timken has added a casting facility to their existing manufacturing and technology center which aids in the integration of Timken's specialized engineering, manufacturing, reconditioning and service functions for components and systems used for aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul.
- The new hanger/office projects being developed at the Falcon Field Airport are leasing well. Reilly Aviation’s grand opening was held on October 27th.
For over 30 years the business district’s focus on aviation, aerospace and defense manufacturing has supported the continued growth and success of the employment center and the future looks very bright for this mature industry cluster.
Boeing Apache helicopters
| The Falcon Field Business District at a Glance | |||
| 15 min | 30 min | ||
| Population, June 2008 | 211,461 | 1,998,341 | |
| Total Civilian Labor Force, 2008 | |||
| Employed | 162,491 | 1,509,162 | |
| Unemployed | 3,458 | 46,617 | |
| Median Age 2008 | 37.60 | 33.25 | |
| Education, 2008 (age 25+) | |||
| High School Graduate | 86.51% | 82.32% | |
| Some College | 29.33% | 26% | |
| Bachelor's/ Associate's Degree | 23.07% | 25.46% | |
| Median Household Income | $64,239 | $64,593 | |
| 2008 Class of Worker | |||
| For Profit Private Workers | 77.20% | 77.65% | |
| Government Workers | 11.26% | 11.69% | |
| 2008 Worker by Occupation Classification | |||
| Blue Collar | 22.66% | 20.74% | |
| White Collar | 63.59% | 64.54% | |
| Service and Farm | 13.75% | 14.72% | |
| Source: Claritas | |||
To learn more contact:
Lois Yates
480-610-0815
lcy@falconfieldarea.org
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