BRS Aviation Safety Company Coming to Kennedy Space Center
By Space Coast Daily // July 24, 2013
Gov. Scott: 'excited to have brs on space coast'
BREVARD COUNTY • KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLORIDA –The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (EDC) is pleased to announce that BRS Aerospace will open a research-and-development operation for its global market in a former shuttle facility at Kennedy Space Center, creating nearly three dozen jobs and furthering the space center’s push into the commercial aerospace industry.
BRS Aerospace will occupy the former Parachute Repack Facility at KSC, investing $7.4 million over three years on renovations and equipment.
“We are excited to announce that BRS Aerospace has chosen to open a research-and-development operation on the Space Coast,” said Florida Governor Rick Scott.
“Our policies for Florida families and businesses to succeed are working. Florida’s unemployment rate is below the national average, and we’ve created more than 330,000 private-sector jobs since December 2010. The new jobs being created by BRS Aerospace are just another example that it’s working in Florida.”
The primary mission of the Miami-based company’s KSC operations will be research and development activities for parachute development, including commercial space applications, as well as production prototyping to allow optimization of manufacturing techniques.
NASA FACILITIES ‘HELP US IMMEDIATELY OPTIMIZE OPERATIONS’
The 34 jobs created over three years will pay an average annual salary of $62,100.
“We are positioning BRS Aerospace for its next phase of growth into the space systems market”, said Larry E. Williams, BRS Aerospace president and CEO.
“This opportunity calls for additional facilities to support our expansion and the NASA facilities help us immediately optimize operations. Additionally, we can draw on the local talent so that we can leverage their exceptional professional capabilities to deliver long-term value to our customers.”
The move represents the continued diversification of Kennedy Space Center, an effort spearheaded by the center’s Planning & Development team along with the EDC, Space Florida and other organizations.
“Kennedy continues working with the commercial community to bring new partnerships to the center, and this latest agreement is a great example of pairing a NASA facility having a previously specialized focus, with a U.S. company that has a similar engineering and manufacturing focus,” said Kennedy Director Bob Cabana.
“This partnership would not have been possible without the support of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast. We welcome BRS Aerospace to Kennedy Space Center and look forward to a long-standing partnership.”
ABOUT BRS AEROSPACE
BRS Aerospace was looking at sites nationwide but the synergy of a KSC location, as well as the Space Coast’s skilled workforce and competitive incentives and the potential for partnerships with KSC agencies and launch companies led the company to choose Brevard.
Lynda Weatherman, president and CEO of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast, said the expansion is a win for everyone involved.
“BRS gets a location at the heart of Brevard County’s evolving and active post-shuttle aerospace industry, while KSC further establishes its standing as a viable commercial center. And the Space Coast gets a company that exemplifies our technological curiosity and R&D strengths while adding more than 30 jobs to our economy,” she said.
Space Florida President Frank DiBello said the company deepens the growing roster of aerospace companies in the Sunshine State and at KSC.
“BRS and its critical, lifesaving parachute technologies will add to the rich diversity of aerospace companies setting down roots in Florida,” he said.
“We are truly pleased to see yet another solid aerospace company utilizing the extremely valuable assets that exist at Kennedy Space Center.”
BRS HISTORY
Founded in 1980, BRS Aerospace develops and commercialized parachutes in two primary business segments: aviation, featuring whole-aircraft emergency recovery parachute systems for use primarily with general aviation and recreational aircraft; and defense, which centers on personal parachute systems, low-cost aerial delivery systems, precision-guided aerial delivery systems and whole-aircraft emergency recovery parachutes mainly for unmanned aerial vehicles and training aircraft.
“We are truly pleased to see yet another solid aerospace company utilizing the extremely valuable assets that exist at Kennedy Space Center.”
The company will hire workers in aerospace engineering and management.
“Florida’s aerospace industry is alive and well on the Space Coast,” said Secretary of Commerce and President & CEO of Enterprise Florida, Gray Swoope.
“The state’s renowned research and development base, strong industry workforce and top-ranked multi-modal infrastructure help it maintain its standing as a world leader. Announcements like this from BRS Aerospace are indicative of the growth we can expect to see in Florida’s commercial aerospace industry.”
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