
UtahPolicy.com – "You look at the end-to-end supply chain capability that Utah offers and the focus that the governor's office has put on developing our aerospace and defense capabilities – from tooling to materials suppliers to manufacturers – and Utah is a great choice," says Marshall Wright, aerospace and defense cluster director for the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED).
Wright says Utah's core aerospace and defense competencies include production of composite materials, electronics and communication systems. The composite materials, which are made of woven fiber and resin and produce products that are stronger and lighter than most metals, have become integral to the state's supply chain. Because advanced composite materials are becoming increasingly essential to aviation and numerous other applications, the state is looking for ways to help build redundancy into the supply chain and help material suppliers and manufacturers share some of the development risks along with the tooling and handling.