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Anyone with an eye on the aerospace industry recognizes Wichita as the world's most prolific aviation manufacturing center and the perennial Air Capital of the World.
But just outside the Wichita city limits are some of the industry's best-kept secrets - small towns that are successfully landing major aviation companies and emerging as significant production centers in their own right. Just a short drive from Wichita, these small towns offer manufacturers the best of both worlds by combining easy access to Wichita with the lower operating costs of a smaller community.
Among the most notable companies to realize the benefits of locating near Wichita is Park Aircraft Technologies Corp., which last year chose Newton as the site for a new advanced composite materials facility. Located just 20 miles north of Wichita, Newton was an ideal location for Park, which had considered larger locations but was ultimately won over by Newton's enthusiasm and commitment to the project.
"Newton really was a great location for this facility," said David Kerr, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce. "By choosing Newton, Park has access to Wichita's incredible workforce and infrastructure, but it also gets the cost and quality-of-life benefits of a smaller suburb. I think this is a win-win for everyone involved, especially the company and the city of Newton."
  The new facility was completed in late 2008 and comprises 50,000 square feet of manufacturing, laboratory and office space dedicated to the production of advanced composite materials used in aircraft structures. The company has similar facilities in New York, Arizona, Connecticut and California, as well as Singapore, China and France.
While a small town’s business recruitment success is typically measured in jobs and capital investment, there certainly are intangible benefits of landing a cutting-edge company like Park.
"Advanced composite materials is one of the hottest topics in aviation," said Harvey County Economic Development Director Mickey Fornaro-Dean, who helped facilitate the project. "When an innovative advanced composite materials company like Park chooses Newton and Harvey County, it speaks volumes about this community, this region and our business climate."
Click here for more information about opportunities in Harvey County.
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