An Australian company that manufactures titanium alloy is coming to Bradley County, according to a release from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD).
Amaero International Limited will build invest $54.9 million in a manufacturing, research and development (R&D) facility in Cleveland. The R&D facility will serve as the company’s global headquarters. The company will create 105 new jobs in Bradley County.
“Once complete, the 130,000-square-foot facility at Spring Branch Industrial Park will serve as Amaero’s corporate hub for its titanium alloy powder production, advanced manufacturing and R&D sector,” according to the release.
Gov. Bill Lee (R) celebrated the news.
“Tennessee is the best state in the nation for companies to succeed, thanks to our strong economy, unmatched business climate and highly skilled workforce,” he said. “I thank Amaero for choosing Tennessee to establish its first U.S. facility and for creating more than 100 jobs in Bradley County, providing greater opportunity to Tennesseans.”
Titanium alloy is a lightweight but extremely tough and corrosion-resistant combination of metal and other chemical elements.
Its main uses are in the aerospace and defense industries.
“I am very pleased to welcome the arrival of Amaero in Bradley County. This project has profound implications for the aerospace, defense and medical industries, and I’m proud our community was selected for its home,” said State Senator Adam Lowe (R-Calhoun). “Not only will this project bring 105 new job opportunities, but it will also grow our local economy and foster a culture of innovation. This project has our full support, and we wish Amaero every success moving forward.”
Amaero’s Chairman and CEO, Hank Holland, also remarked about the planned build.
“Amaero is appreciative of the many stakeholders in Tennessee who quickly mobilized to proactively develop and present a compelling business case for the re-location of Amaero’s flagship titanium powder production operations, research and development efforts and its corporate headquarters to Tennessee,” he said.
“Amaero will build upon the U.S.’ resurgent manufacturing sector and the strong regional manufacturing ecosystem with a critical and strategic industrial capability that addresses the country’s highest priority initiatives in advanced and additive manufacturing, as well as enhancing supply chain resiliency for critical minerals and defense production,” he said. “This is a seminal event for Amaero and a great development for Amaero’s shareholders, our employees and our customers.”
Several local lawmakers did not immediately return comment requests.
Friday marks the third day in a row that TNECD has announced new business investments in Tennessee.
Wednesday, TNEDC announced that the Seaman Corporation will invest $30 million to build a new 350,000-square-foot facility in Bristol.
On Thursday, it was announced that Blickman Industries, LLC will invest $2.7 million to establish manufacturing operations in Lawrenceburg.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
Light as aluminum, strong as steel, corrosion resistant. If Ti was as plentiful as Aluminum, this would be a different world.
Quite a lot, I would imagine… but I’m sure that the pursuit of Australian businesses will also require Lee and 100 or so of his closest business advisers to make a “business” trip to Australia, on the state’s tab.
“Amaero is appreciative of the many stakeholders in Tennessee who quickly mobilized to proactively develop and present a compelling business case for the re-location of Amaero’s flagship titanium powder production operations, research and development efforts and its corporate headquarters to Tennessee”
How much did this cost us taxpayers?