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Business News - 2011

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December 2011
  • Boeing wins $3.48 billion Missile Defense Agency contract for development, sustainment of GMD system »
    Friday, December 30, 2011
    By Kenneth Kesner, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The Missile Defense Agency today awarded a team led by Boeing and its strategic partner Northrop Grumman a $3.48 billion, 7-year contract for the continued development and sustainment of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system.

  • Futaba expansion includes new manufacturing facility at Jetplex Industrial Park near Huntsville airport »
    Tuesday, December 13, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Site preparation work is expected to start soon for a second building for Futaba at Jetplex Industrial Park near Huntsville International Airport. Futaba Corp. of America recently closed on the purchase of a 10.4-acre parcel in Jetplex Supplier Park, said Brooks Kracke, the industrial park's director, and the first phase of Futaba's expansion includes a 50,000-square-foot manufacturing building. Futaba makes lighted displays for automobile dashboards, microwaves and other appliances and TVs and other entertainment equipment.

  • Stratolaunch, the new Paul Allen space company, will aim for 2016 rocket launch »
    Tuesday, December 13, 2011
    By Lee Roop, The Huntsville Times

    SEATTLE, Washington - Stratolaunch Systems, the new commercial space launch company announced today by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, will try to send its first rocket into space in 2016, company officials said today. The target for a first flight of the massive new airplane central to the company's vision is 2015.

  • MBDA Inc. buys Northrop Grumman's Viper Strike munitions business in Huntsville »
    Monday, December 12, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- MBDA Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of European missile manufacturer MBDA, has purchased Northrop Grumman's Viper Strike munitions business in Huntsville, and the company plans to grow further here. "We're been fortunate to find this opportunity, and extremely fortunate it's in Huntsville," said Jerry Agee, the chair, CEO and president of MBDA Inc., after a ribbon-cutting ceremony this afternoon. MBDA has acquired "a good business with wonderful employees" and "a happy customer." The 35 employees at the 33,000-square-foot facility at 330 Wynn Drive in Cummings Research Park will remain with MBDA, said Douglas Denneny, a vice president at MBDA Inc.

  • Propulsion center will help meet the challenge in America's quest for better rockets (editorial) »
    Sunday, December 11, 2011
    By John Peck, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama _ The beginnings last week of a national rocket propulsion center in Huntsville mark "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" in the unfolding world of next-generation rocket development. If all goes as planned, the proposed National Institute for Rocket Propulsion Systems will blend the expertise of government, academia and industry into a one-stop national think tank for rockets.

  • GBT Realty Corporation adds additional tenants at The Shoppes of Madison
    Leases with Ross, Panera Bread and Massage Envy marks 95% occupancy »

    MADISON, Ala. – Dec. 5, 2011 – GBT Realty Corporation, a national retail real estate company and developer of The Shoppes of Madison, has signed three additional leases at the Madison, Ala. property, which is scheduled to open in March 2012 with Target as the anchor tenant.

November 2011
  • Discount grocer Aldi opens second Huntsville-area store »
    Thursday, November 03, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Aldi opened its second Huntsville-area store this morning as the discount grocer considers further expansion here. "We think there are opportunities for us to do more in Huntsville," said Troy Marshall, a division vice president with the Germany-based retailer. "We'll get these two stores open and see how it goes.

  • Terma North America expands into Huntsville »
    Tuesday, November 01, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Terma North America, the U.S. subsidiary of Denmark-based aerospace, defense and security company Terma, has expanded into Huntsville. The company has established a business unit here called Joint and Land Systems to support opportunities in the Department of Defense's battle management arena. The unit will temporarily be at the Lockhheed Martin campus on Bradford Drive in the Battle Management Technology Center, and its staff includes Bobby Dodd, director of Joint and Land Systems, and a senior software engineer.

October 2011
  • ITT Exelis may be new name in Huntsville, but it's business as usual »
    Monday, October 31, 2011
    By Budd McLaughlin, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The name may be changed at 6767 Old Madison Pike, but the people are the same. And so is the work. Today, the former Defense and Information Solutions business of ITT Corp. becomes the independent, publicly traded company ITT Exelis.

  • SpringHill Suites by Marriott being built at Huntsville's Village of Providence »
    Monday, October 24, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Site work has started for a four-story, 88-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott at the Village of Providence. The projected opening is next August, said Alpesh Patel, CEO of Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Kana Hotel Group.

  • Parsons to buy Sparta for $350M »
    Wednesday, October 19, 2011
    By Budd McLaughlin, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Sparta, a subsidiary of Cobham, has agreed to be acquired by Parsons for $350 million, the company announced today. The transaction is subject to government approval. Parsons, based in Pasadena, Calif., provides mission-critical technical services to the U.S. government. Sparta, which does business as Cobham Analytics Solutions at its facility on Diamond Drive in Cummings Research Park, provides advanced systems engineering, cybersecurity and mission-support services, primarily to the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and the intelligence community. The company has about 300 employees in Huntsville.

  • Aldi discount grocer opens Huntsville store to waiting customers »
    Thursday, October 06, 2011
    By Budd McLaughlin, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The ribbon-cutting ceremony wasn't scheduled until 9 a.m., but at 8 a.m., there was already a line of customers outside the new Aldi grocery store today. And, once they were inside, they apparently liked what they saw. The store, at 4175 University Drive, is a discount grocer but has what the company calls, its "new look."

  • Missile Defense Agency celebrates opening of Von Braun III building on Redstone Arsenal »
    Thursday, October 06, 2011
    By Kenneth Kesner, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Lt. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly said it's appropriate that the Missile Defense Agency's new six-story office center on Redstone Arsenal is part of a complex named for Dr. Wernher von Braun, whose team based in Huntsville put the nation's first satellite and astronaut in orbit and the first men on the moon. At ceremonies Thursday officially opening the 840,000-square-foot "Von Braun III" building, MDA Director O'Reilly said von Braun was a man with vision.

  • Harris opens Huntsville office to be closer to its customer - Redstone Arsenal »
    Monday, October 03, 2011
    By Budd McLaughlin, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- It's said the three key words in real estate are "location, location, location." Well, according to retired Maj. Gen. Dennis Moran, those words also apply to defense contractors. Moran, vice president for government business development with Harris Corp., was joined by company and elected officials Friday as the company opened its new Huntsville office.
September 2011
  • Toyota engine plant in Huntsville adds four-cylinder engines to its lineup »
    September 25, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The Toyota engine plant in Huntsville has added four-cylinder engines to its lineup, and it will mark the debut of this latest product at a ceremony Thursday morning. With the launch of the four-cylinder line, the plant is supplying engines for eight different Toyota vehicles, said Jim Bolte, the plant's president.

  • Bed Bath & Beyond store being built at Bridge Street Town Centre »
    Published: Saturday, September 17, 201
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- A Bed Bath & Beyond store is being built in the power center at Bridge Street Town Center, adjacent to The Sports Authority. "A lease has been executed and we plan to open in winter 2012," said Rachael Risinger, public relations manager with Bed Bath & Beyond. She didn't comment on the size of the store.

  • Boeing celebrates expansion of PAC-3 missile seeker production in Huntsville »
    Thursday, September 15, 2011
    By Kenneth Kesner, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile is so popular with troops and allies that there are backorders, and Boeing this week celebrated a $45 million, two-year expansion of its production line in Huntsville for the interceptor's "brain." Boeing provides PAC-3 prime contractor Lockheed Martin with the seeker that targets incoming missiles or aircraft and guides it to "hit-to-kill" destruction. About 150 people are building the sophisticated seekers at Boeing's Jetplex plant, said Debra Rub, vice president and general manager of Missiles and Unmanned Airborne Systems.

  • Grand opening held for new SpringHill Suites »
    Thursday, September 15, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The new SpringHill Suites Huntsville Downtown - the first project in the planned Constellation mixed-use development at Memorial Parkway and Clinton Avenue - marks the fourth hotel in town developed by Huntsville-based Yedla Management. "It's a great property," said Stuart Newmark, the executive vice president of operations of Yedla Management, the developer, operator and part-owner of the SpringHill Suites by Marriott at 745 Constellation Place. "We're off to a wonderful start."

  • Site work underway at Colonial Promenade Huntsville »
    Friday, September 09, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Site preparation is underway on U.S. 72 between Balch and County Line roads for Colonial Promenade Huntsville, an 80-acre mixed-use development to be anchored by a 180,000 square-foot Walmart Supercenter and include 27 acres for apartments in the third and final phase.

  • Blackhawk Management Corp. relocating its 'primary operations' from Houston to Huntsville »
    Tuesday, September 06, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Blackhawk Management, a Houston-based company that opened a Huntsville office in 2008, now has plans to reorganize and make Huntsville its operations center in the next 12 to 18 months. “We think Huntsville provides us increased opportunities to grow the business,” said Dean Honchul, the company’s vice president for business development/logistics solutions in Killeen, Texas. “We think (Huntsville) is where we need to be.”
August 2011
  • Huntsville-based Teledyne Brown Engineering gets $383M defense contract »
    Tuesday, August 23, 2011
    By Budd McLaughlin, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- After its announcement about plans for outer space with Aerojet, Teledyne Brown is branching out to "marine space." The Huntsville-based company has been awarded a contract valued at $383 million for a replacement craft to transport Special Operations Forces on their missions. The work is projected to add about 50 jobs here.

  • TVA board approves $4.9 billion project to complete Bellefonte nuclear plant near Scottsboro »
    Thursday, August 18, 2011
    By Brian Lawson, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The Tennessee Valley Authority's board has given approval for the long-awaited completion of the Unit 1 reactor at the Bellefonte nuclear plant near Scottsboro. The project is expected to cost up to $5 billion and TVA hopes to have the plant generating power between 2018 and 2020. TVA's board authorized up to $248 million last year for engineering, regulatory work and procurement efforts to begin.

  • Huntsville-based Qualitest Pharmaceuticals to expand with Cummings Research Park location »
    Friday, August 12, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- Qualitest Pharmaceuticals, a Huntsville-based generics pharmaceutical provider, will move its commercial functions to a new facility in Cummings Research Park in October. The expansion is the result of the "growing demand for generics overall and the growth" of both Qualitest and its parent company, Endo Pharmaceuticals, said Daniel Carbery, Endo's senior vice president, specialty generics and technologies. The move will prepare Qualitest for its planned expansion, including hiring as many as 200 additional employees by the end of this year, Carbery said.

  • University Drive shopping center transformed with retailers new to Huntsville »
    Friday, August 12, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- First, an Old Navy store in the University Drive retail center closed in 2008 and moved to Bridge Street Town Centre. Just next door, bankrupt retailer Linens 'n Things shut down at the end of the year soon followed by the adjacent Circuit City, which was liquidating its remaining stores.

  • Opening of helicopter flight test center at Redstone Arsenal part of BRAC's impact on area »
    Wednesday, August 10, 2011
    By Kenneth Kesner, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- A big - a very big - symbol that the Base Realignment and Closure moves to Redstone Arsenal are nearing completion came Tuesday with the official opening of the new Rotary Wing Center at the airfield. "Welcome to Building 4880, also known as the BRAC hangar," said Maj. Greg Fortier, commander of the Aviation Flight Test Directorate. "I absolutely stand in awe of this facility."

  • Calhoun Community College identifies possible expansion property expansion in Huntsville »
    Thursday, August 04, 201
    By Paul Gattis, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Calhoun Community College is pursuing the purchase of 51 acres in Thornton Research Park to expand its Huntsville campus.
    The school made a presentation Monday to the state Board of Education, which must approve the purchase. A vote is on the agenda for the board's meeting Aug. 25.
July 2011
  • Huntsville considers $10 million parking deck to spur Councill Courts redevelopment »
    Friday, July 29, 2011
    By Steve Doyle, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The City of Huntsville is moving forward with plans for a 720-space parking garage intended to spur redevelopment of the former Councill Courts public housing site. The City Council voted Thursday night to pay Chapman Sisson Architects $146,324 to begin designing a three-story parking deck on St. Clair Avenue.

  • New Madison Hospital on track to open Feb. 28, 2012 »
    Tuesday, July 26, 2011
    By Steve Doyle, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- After nearly a decade of dreaming and planning and pushing for the necessary state licenses, the $71 million Madison Hospital is rapidly nearing completion. On Monday, construction crews were busy hanging exterior wall panels and attaching the signature green metal roof that adorns most Huntsville Hospital buildings.

  • Huntsville sets Aug. 23 public hearing for Limestone County farmland development plan »
    Wednesday, July 13, 2011
    By Steve Doyle, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Members of Huntsville's zoning committee this morning got their first look at a master plan for more than 9,300 acres of Limestone County farmland annexed into the city since 2008. Frederick Merrill of Sasaki Associates, the Boston firm that authored the plan, said it is "almost unheard of" for a city to be able to plan the future of such a large area basically from scratch.

  • Development group to turn portion of Councill Courts public housing into high-end apartments, retail »
    Thursday, July 14, 2011
    By Steve Doyle, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- A Nashville developer plans to turn part of the former Councill Courts public housing site near Huntsville Hospital into at least 200 high-end apartments, multiple stores and restaurants, and a supermarket. Bristol Development Group has agreed to pay the Huntsville Housing Authority $3.67 million for 5.58 acres along St. Clair Avenue and Gallatin Street in the medical district. The housing agency's volunteer board of directors unanimously approved the contract Wednesday.

  • Display light company buys 10 acres for expansion in Jetplex Industrial Park »
    Tuesday, July 12, 2011
    By Keith Clines, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - A company that makes lighted displays for car dashboards, home appliances and entertainment equipment will expand with an agreement approved today by the Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority to buy 10.4 acres in the Jetplex Industrial Park.
June 2011
  • LogiCore's Miranda Bouldin notes customer focus during open house at new Research Park facility »
    Thursday, June 30, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Miranda Bouldin started a technology services company at age 26, working out of her home at first and juggling the business while raising her three young daughters. Bouldin ran the company herself and won the first contract within a year – in 2003 – from the Software Engineering Directorate at the Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development & Engineering Center.

  • PeopleTec celebrates growth, new headquarters in Cummings Research Park »
    Wednesday, June 29, 2011
    By Mike Kelley, 42 staff

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- PeopleTec , one of Cummings Research Park's fastest-growing private companies, celebrated that growth over five years in business as it held its open House and ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday. More than 100 people, including U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, and U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, joined company officials, employees, customers, and other guests for the festivities at the company's headquarters at 4901 Corporate Drive NW in Research Park.

  • Huntsville International Airport officials disappointed that Vision Airlines will end service here »
    Tuesday, June 28, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Vision Airlines is ending service to Huntsville, Savannah, Columbia and Greenville/Spartanburg, S.C., and Baton Rouge because the demand in those cities hasn't met the carrier's expectations. Vision plans to cut service to those cities effective July 17.

  • Raytheon breaking ground today for missile facility on Redstone Arsenal »
    Monday, June 27, 2011
    By Kenneth Kesner, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Raytheon is breaking ground at Redstone Arsenal this morning on a new missile plant that is expected to bring about 300 jobs to Huntsville and is a key to future missile defense plans for the United States and Europe. The $70 million, 70,000-square-foot Raytheon Redstone Missile Integration Facility will be where the propulsion and other components of the company's Standard Missile 3 and SM-6 missiles come together and are tested before going to Missile Defense Agency, Navy or other customers, said Dr. Taylor Lawrence, president of Raytheon's Missile Systems business.

  • More development in store for Valley Bend at Jones Farm »
    Thursday, June 23, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The last of the outparcels available at Valley Bend at Jones Farm shopping center is now being developed.
    The 13,200-square-foot Shoppes at Valley Bend, to be built between Dick's Sporting Goods and Carl T. Jones Drive, will have up to seven potential spaces, said Wesley Crunkleton, qualifying broker with Crunkleton & Associates in Huntsville, the project's developer and leasing agent for Valley Bend LLC. The building shell is scheduled to be completed Nov. 1, he said.

  • Huntsville/Madison County led state in job announcements by new, expanding firms, according to report »
    Sunday, June 19, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Huntsville/Madison County led the state last year in the number of job announcements made by new and expanding companies.
    Sixty-one companies in the local economy's primary business sectors - science and technology, engineering, manufacturing and large office operations - announced 2,901 jobs and more than $152 million in capital investment in 2010, according to the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce's 2011 Economic Growth Report.

  • Gen. Dunwoody thanks community, Redstone Arsenal as Army Materiel Command opens new headquarters »
    Thursday, June 16, 2011
    By Kenneth Kesner, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- "Finally," Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody said with a big smile. "Finally."
    The commander of the Army Materiel Command - and the first woman to wear four stars in U.S. military history - had just cut the ribbon Wednesday to officially open AMC's new, high-tech "green" headquarters building at Redstone Arsenal. Next she walked inside for a tour with some of the dozens of other generals and officers - both active duty and retired from off and on the arsenal - the many elected officials and guests who came for the ceremony.

  • Gov. Robert Bentley takes part in latest HudsonAlpha groundbreaking »
    Wednesday, June 15, 2011
    By Paul Gattis, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The way Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle figures it, the state's $10 million investment into Cummings Research Park could have a ripple effect. Gov. Robert Bentley has vowed not to receive a paycheck until the state unemployment rate, currently at 9.3 percent, drops to 5 percent. Using state dollars to fund an 88,000-square-foot building on the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology campus, however, is expected to generate jobs.

  • Teledyne Brown, Aerojet form 'strategic alliance' to build rocket engines in Huntsville »
    Thursday, June 02, 2011
    By Budd McLaughlin, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- A "strategic alliance" by two high-tech companies could lead to hundreds of jobs coming to the Huntsville area. Huntsville-based Teledyne Brown Engineering and Aerojet have joined forces to pursue contracts to manufacture liquid rocket engines. The engines will be for the Marshall Space Flight Center-developed heavy lift rocket through NASA's Space Launch System program.

  • Bridge Street Town Centre has some new stores, expansions »
    Thursday, June 02, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Bridge Street Town Centre continues to add retailers and some shops are expanding while the shopping center, which opened in late 2007, lost one of its early restaurants late last month. One of the latest additions is Altar'd State, a store that features apparel and accessories, bath and body products and home goods, as well as books and music. Through a company initiative called Mission Mondays, Altar'd State donates 10 percent of the net proceeds to charity.

May 2011
  • Discount grocer Aldi is entering the Huntsville market »
    Wednesday, May 11, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Discount grocer Aldi plans to open stores in Huntsville in early August, according to the company's director of real estate. "They will be opening within a couple of weeks of each other," David Hassen said. "We've been working on (opening) a Madison location for a while and wanted to give Huntsville customers a location as well.
April 2011
  • MDA contracts will launch an all-new missile and have big impact in Huntsville »
    Published: Sunday, April 17, 2011
    By Kenneth Kesner, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- In missile defense, as in so many things, sooner is better. Destroying an enemy missile as soon after launch as possible allows more time for other options, if needed, including time to take another shot at it.
    The Missile Defense Agency last week awarded Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon three-year contracts worth more than $41 million each to begin planning an all-new interceptor, the Standard Missile 3 Block IIB, as part of a system to hit threatening missiles earlier in their flight.

  • Huntsville hires four more contractors for Redstone Gateway office park upgrades »
    Published: Saturday, April 16, 2011
    By Steve Doyle, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The City of Huntsville is ramping up work on the massive Redstone Gateway office park at Interstate 565 and Rideout Road.
    During its meeting Thursday, the City Council voted to spend $4.7 million on critical park infrastructure, including water and sewer lines, electricity, fiberoptic cables and a nearly mile-long access road.

  • Belk Hudson Lofts aims to bring affordable housing to downtown Huntsville »
    Published: Friday, April 15, 2011, 6:37 AM
    By Steve Doyle, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Huntsville's elusive quest for affordable downtown housing may have finally been answered.
    On Thursday night, the City Council approved a development deal with a local couple who plans to convert the vacant Belk Hudson building on Washington Street into 75 loft apartments.

  • fDi Magazine ranks Huntsville among top small cities for investment, growth »
    Published: Wednesday, April 13, 2011
    By Budd McLaughlin, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Huntsville has been recognized as one of the top small cities on the continent for investment and growth by a leading foreign investment publication. fDi Magazine, a publication of London's Financial Times and a provider of foreign direct investment information, ranked Huntsville No. 1 for the best FDI strategy among small cities in the Americas and fourth on its list of the Top 10 Small Cities of the Future. The magazine classifies small cities as having a population of more than 100,000 but less than 250,000.

  • New $39 million student life center will be focal point of UAH campus »
    Friday, April 08, 2011
    By Paul Gattis, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The plan was introduced last year to revitalize the University of Alabama in Huntsville campus and transform it into a traditional setting despite its urban environment. And on Thursday, the school took a significant step in that direction.

  • NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center cuts spending and up to 300 more jobs in Huntsville »
    Wednesday, April 06, 2011 »
    By Lee Roop, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Continuing budget problems have led NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville to announce belt-tightening plans that will cost between 150 and 300 contractor employees their jobs. Center Director Robert Lightfoot announced the changes at an "all hands" meeting of center employees and support contractors Tuesday.
March 2011
  • Lockheed Martin unveils new missile defense simulation, test center in Huntsville »
    Saturday, March 26, 2011
    By Kenneth Kesner, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Lockheed Martin launched a new 21,000-square-foot Huntsville Integrated Test Center on Friday afternoon, adding to the company's robust missile defense capabilities in North Alabama. The center will provide high-fidelity, end-to-end testing of hardware and software for a variety of missile defense and interceptor weapons systems, including THAAD, PAC-3 and others used in the Missile Defense Agency's Ground-based Midcourse Defense or other Ballistic Missile Defense programs.

  • Lockheed Martin’s Huntsville Integrated Test Center to Provide Effective Support For Missile Defense Systems
    New Facility to Provide State-of-the-art Capabilities     »

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala., March 25, 2011 – Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) today held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its Huntsville Integrated Test (HIT) Center in Huntsville, Ala. The Lockheed Martin HIT Center will enable cost-effective and realistic testing of full-scale missile defense systems in a laboratory environment.

  • Huntsville's Teledyne Brown unveils advanced turbine manufacturing center »
    Thursday, March 24, 2011
    By Budd McLaughlin, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Long recognized as one of the area's, if not the nation's, top engineering companies, Teledyne Brown Engineering is continuing to expand - into manufacturing. Today the company will unveil its Advanced Turbine Manufacturing Center in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. The center will house machines to manufacture turbine engine parts for the Harpoon and Jassim missiles.

  • Teledyne Brown Adds Turbine Engine Component Manufacturing Capability »

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (March 24, 2011) — Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. (TBE) today conducted a ribbon cutting for its new Advanced Turbine Manufacturing Center (ATMC) which will produce turbine engine components.

    Teledyne Brown renovated 25,000 sq. ft. of space in its Manufacturing Plant to house equipment being relocated from Mobile, Ala. to Huntsville. The ATMC houses seven CNC machines, a large Grinder, three lathes and a CMM machine that will be enclosed in its own climate controlled area. The machines will be used to manufacture turbine engine parts for the Harpoon/SLAM ERand JASSM missiles.

  • New high school spurs development in west Madison »
    Published: Friday, March 18, 2011
    By Mike Marshall, The Huntsville Times

    MADISON, Al. - All around here, there is activity. There are workers installing new lines - sewer or natural gas lines, from all appearances. There are workers building houses in the subdivisions that have popped up on County Line Road. And there are workers building Madison's new high school. It is easy to find the new high school after you turn off County Line Road. Just look for the builders' signs with the arrows pointing in the proper directions.

  • Boeing sending layoff notices to 130 Huntsville employees in missile defense program »
    Published: Thursday, March 17, 2011
    By Kenneth Kesner, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- About 130 Boeing employees in Huntsville and 90 at other sites across the country are receiving layoff notices today and Friday as the company adjusts to changes in the Missile Defense Agency's Ground-based Midcourse Defense program. Boeing has been prime contractor for ground-based missile defense since 2001 and is responsible for managing it to meet both MDA's priorities and the scope of the program's needs, said Jessica Carlton, a Boeing spokeswoman.

  • Audio Video Systems Opens New Office in Huntsville, Alabama »
    Thursday, March 17, 2011

    Audio Video Systems, Inc. (AVS), a leading systems integration firm for government, military and commercial organizations, located in the Washington, D.C. region has opened a regional office in Huntsville, Alabama. The new office will focus on working closely with existing and future clients within the Alabama region.

  • Walmart to anchor new shopping center in west Huntsville »
    Thursday, March 17, 2011
    By Steve Doyle, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE- Alabama -- A Walmart Supercenter in far west Huntsville that's been on the drawing board since 2006 could finally break ground this summer. On Wednesday, the city's subdivision committee approved layout plans for the 63-acre Colonial Promenade Huntsville shopping center on the north side of U.S. 72 West between Balch and County Line roads.

  • Aladdin Light Lift announces plans to relocate to Huntsville, build facility in Chase Industrial Park »
    Wednesday, March 16, 2011
    By Marian Accardi, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Aladdin Light Lift, a Memphis-based company that manufactures motorized systems used to lower and raise chandeliers for cleaning and changing bulbs, is relocating to Huntsville and plans to build a 22,500-square-foot building in Chase Industrial Park. All 15 full-time employees will move to the Huntsville area later this year, said John Falls, the company's president and founder. The company also has 50 independent sales representatives in the United States and Canada and about 1,000 distributors nationwide.

  • It's finally official: Target is coming to Madison »
    Wednesday, March 16, 2011
    By Yvonne T. Betowt, The Huntsville Times

    MADISON, AL -- After months of remaining mum on the rumor Target is coming to Madison, city officials have finally broken their silence.

  • Digging Up Dirt For Post Growth »
    Mar 4, 2011
    By Kari Hawkins, USAG Redstone

    REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- There's a lot of dirt work going on near Gate 9 these days. And there's much more to come. Bulldozers, dump trucks and other heavy construction equipment are regular sights at the corner of Gate 9/Rideout Road and the I-565 interchange. All that activity is preparing for the first building in a 468-acre, 4.6 million square-foot office, retail and hotel complex known as Redstone Gateway.

February 2011
January 2011
  • Downtown Huntsville in running for $30 million, 207-room Excelsior hotel »
    Friday, January 07, 2011
    By Steve Doyle, The Huntsville Times

    HUNTSVILLE, AL -- An Atlanta developer is considering building a $30 million luxury hotel near the Von Braun Center in downtown Huntsville. National Ventures Group President Robert L. Schwartz confirmed Thursday that his company has the "full intention" to create the area's first European-style hotel -- possibly an Excelsior or other high-end brand.

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