The Ponca City Development Authority (PCDA) and Archein Aerospace, LLC, have reached an agreement for the company to lease facilities at Ponca City Airport for an aircraft avionics, installation and maintenance station. The 10 year lease of the hangar that formerly housed the Conoco Aviation fleet was approved by the PCDA Board of Trustees by unanimous vote and is set to begin on November 15th.
Archein Aerospace, LLC has operated a repair station at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth. They specialize in rapid turnaround projects and the installation of leading edge avionics including “heads up displays” which enhances the ability of pilots to operate in a safe and efficient manner. The company holds a Federal Aviation Administration part 145 certificate which allows them to work on aircraft of different sizes.
Company Chief Executive Officer Michael Kaufhold said he was excited to begin operations in Ponca City. “Archein Aerospace, LLC is very pleased and proud to have the opportunity to become part of the greater Ponca City community. Archein’s lease of airport hangar and office facilities at the Ponca City Airport is an outstanding opening to partner with Ponca City for a collaborative future in which Archein will globally engage with its advanced avionics Hyper-MaintenanceTM concept of operations for air transport category aircraft of all types. Archein’s plans call for its Ponca City headquarters to build, and then sustain, a full-time work force of 50 aviation professionals within two years, and up to 95 by three years. Archein’s development strategy also focuses on all manner of engagement with local suppliers – with a core objective of actively promoting their long-term shared growth with us as Archein expands operations globally. Archein’s presence in Ponca City was by deliberate choice. We see and believe in the city as a unique opportunity with an emerging designer future – made real through exceptionally clear vision and leadership – as engaged by concerted and unflagging effort – all in harness with the hard-working people and businesses of the community.”
PCDA Board Chair Steve Hermann also expressed excitement about having Archein join the Ponca City community. “We have long sought to find a company for the hangar that brought not just vision but the ability to execute that vision. We talked to a lot of people about Archein Aerospace and the feedback we have received has been very overwhelmingly positive. This is what we wanted for the airport and I’m pleased it fit so nicely into Archein’s plans as well.”
Hermann also expressed his thanks to people and organizations instrumental in the agreement. “Chris Greenwood of the Greenwood Group helped make the introduction between us and it is no exaggeration to say that without their help, we would not be welcoming Archein Aerospace to our community today. Our best leads come from local companies and this is a great example. In addition, the airport is a city-operated facility and we could not have had better partners in working through all of the details of this agreement than the City of Ponca City and the management of the airport. Finally, the State of Oklahoma through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce was wonderful in bringing their resources to the table to help encourage the company to select Ponca City.”
The 10 year lease provides a graduated lease rate dependent upon the number of employees at the facility. According to PCDA staff, if the company meets their employment targets, they will receive lease reductions worth a maximum of $420,000 over 10 years. In addition, PCDA will make repairs and renovations to both the hangar and the office areas of the facility. The agreement is projected to provide an overall economic benefit to Ponca City of $42.6 million over the ten year lease.
For more information about Archein Aerospace, visit www.archeinaero.com. For more information about PCDA, visit www.goponca.com.
