Federal, local and company leaders attended a groundbreaking ceremony in Bridgeton, Mo., Wednesday for the new Leonardo DRS, Inc. engineering development and light manufacturing facility. The new facility will accommodate the company’s growing Land Systems line of business. The $32 million complex is being developed by real estate development firm US CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT (USCD), which recently secured the strategically located site directly adjacent to Interstate 70 and St. Louis Lambert International Airport.
Earlier this year Leonardo DRS announced it would invest in a new, best-in-class engineering, research and development and laboratory space to serve as the focal point for the majority of the business unit’s development and platform systems integration activities. The business is a leading integrator of a wide range of systems for U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps ground platforms.
“I appreciated the opportunity to join the team at Leonardo DRS for their groundbreaking ceremony today,” said U.S. Representative Ann Wagner, who was on hand for the event. “Leonardo DRS employees do tremendous work equipping the United States military and keeping America safe. They have a reputation for honesty, integrity, and high standards, and I am grateful to represent a company and employees who are serving our troops, and benefiting the national, state, and local economies at the same time. This innovative engineering and research and development facility will be at the forefront of manufacturing complex Land Systems, and I am pleased that they are building right here in Bridgeton. Leonardo DRS is part of Missouri’s sophisticated defense industry, and this move represents the retention and creation of excellent jobs that illustrate the talent of our region’s workforce,” she said.
“Our company and Land Systems business has been growing and together with the expanding mission-critical needs of our customers, this new facility will modernize our business to ensure our customer is given the best support for years to come,” said Aaron Hankins, vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS Land Systems line of business. “The St. Louis area has been our long-time home, and we are proud to be a part of the Bridgeton community,” Hankins said.
“This project is a great addition to US Capital Development’s run of successful build-to-suit projects across the country. It illustrates how our site selection and development skills match up to our client’s needs by delivering a tailor-designed state-of-the-art facility at a tremendous location, within budget,” said Scott Sachtleben, managing principal of USCD.
Scott Haley, managing director of development for USCD, added, “The folks at DRS have been excellent to work with to facilitate this development, and we believe the finished product will give them the modern facility they need today, while providing space for future growth.”
Completion of the new 171,500-square-foot facility, which is being built by Brinkmann Constructors, is expected by early 2020.
As part of the community, Leonardo DRS is also working with the Pattonville School District by executing a formal agreement to further Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiatives in an extended learning opportunity (ELO) program for high school students. The partnership also creates additional learning opportunities for elementary students and faculty in the district, as well as mentoring and job shadowing opportunities for high school students.
About Leonardo DRS
Leonardo DRS is a prime contractor, leading technology innovator and supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and defense contractors worldwide. Its Land Systems business unit is recognized leader in the design and integration of complex technologies into new and legacy systems and platforms for global military and commercial customers. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Leonardo DRS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leonardo S.p.A. See the full range of capabilities at www.LeonardoDRS.com and on Twitter @LeonardoDRSnews.
About U.S. Capital Development
US Capital Development (USCD), formerly known as KP Development, is a real estate development company based in St. Louis with a second office in Indianapolis and has origins dating back to 1994. In fall 2018, the firm repositioned as USCD following a period of rapid growth and expansion into multiple U.S. markets, where USCD’s principals have experience working with clients such as Amazon, GE, LKQ, Owens Corning, Honeywell, Hubbell Killark, BASF and many more. Since the middle of 2017, the company has sourced and initiated over a half billion dollars of self-directed and owned development within various US markets. The firm’s efforts are now aligned under three distinct business platforms: industrial speculative development, commercial build-to-suit projects and a senior housing division operating under the brand “Oakleigh Development.”
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For more information, contact:
Julie Hauser
(314) 436-9090
julie@hausergrouppr.com