Aerospace Expansions Create 640 Jobs In Canada, Virginia

Optimum Technologies LLC, will invest $999,000 to expand its Loudoun County, Virginia Satellite Manufacturing Facility. The expansion will create 40 new jobs.

 “OpTech continues to expand due high growth in the space sector,” said executive vice president of OpTech Timothy Rumford. “We have seen great demand for our hardware and services and have outgrown our original SMF that was opened in 2022. Our new facility will give us approximately 5 times the capacity and help continue our growth plans and, in turn, help support our nation’s needs for rapid and low-cost access to space.”

 “Optimum Technologies’ decision to expand its manufacturing facility in Loudoun County demonstrates the trust manufacturers have in Virginia,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “The company is a key component of the Northern Virginia aerospace industry, and we are gratified to see this investment.”

 “Virginia is a prime location for aerospace companies,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick. “I congratulate Optimum Technologies on this investment. This investment reinforces Northern Virginia as a key aerospace hub that offers the infrastructure for developing and manufacturing new technologies.”

Founded in Virginia in 2015, Optimum Technologies is a professional technical services company specializing in aerospace solutions related to satellite, ground, and mission systems engineering. Most staff members hold active Top Secret security clearances, and the company has a diverse portfolio of customers, including U.S. Department of Defense, civil, and commercial contracts. The Optimum Technologies team includes space industry experts specializing in full lifecycle support, from initial concept development to final mission disposition.

 The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Loudoun County to secure the project for Virginia and will support Optimum Technologies’ job creation through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP). VJIP reduces the human resource costs of new and expanding companies and provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs in order to support employee recruitment and training activities.

Digital Satellite Manufacturer Grows In Quebec

Satellite manufacturer MDA will construct a 185,0000-square-foot expansion at its satellite production facility in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada. Once completed, it will be the world’s largest high-volume manufacturing facility in its satellite class, with capacity to deliver up to two MDA AURORATM digital satellites a day.

An initial order of 198 Telesat Lightspeed satellites, powered by MDA AURORATM technology,  will be produced at the new facility, following Telesat’s selection of MDA as the prime satellite contractor for the Telesat Lightspeed constellation. Telesat is the first of multiple MDA satellite customers moving to next generation digital constellations, as the market for space-based broadband networks and direct-to-device connectivity expands.

“The global satellite market is at an inflection point as satellite operators and customers shift to digital solutions like MDA AURORATM that offer greater performance and flexibility at a significantly lower cost,” said Mike Greenley, CEO, MDA. “Our strategic investments in expanding our satellite production facility and team are ideally timed to solidify our market leadership position and expand the export and growth opportunities for the Canadian space industry in Quebec and across the country.”

As part of its expansion, the company is in the process of adding 600 new high-skill technology jobs in Quebec to further accelerate its growth as the global space economy is set to expand to US$1.8 trillion in the next decade.

The new facility is designed to be a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified building. The production line is expected to be operational in the second half of 2025.

“Our government is focused on Canadians, and with Lightspeed, Telesat and MDA are designing and manufacturing the largest space program in Canadian history – creating thousands of jobs, growing our economy, and getting high-speed internet to Canadians. Together, we’re putting Canada, Canadian innovation and talent at the forefront of a new global opportunity,” said Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada.

“This is good news for our economy. Not only are we consolidating 650 existing jobs, but we are also creating close to 1,000 high-paying jobs in a cutting-edge sector. It is also a strategic project for Québec. The message we are sending today with the Telesat/MDA project is that Québec continues to make its mark. The future of aerospace is happening right here in Québec,” said François Legault, Premier of Québec.

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