A huge expansion could grow Tulsa's footprint in the aviation community.
NORDAM just announced an exclusive maintenance partnership with China Airlines.
“Having the ability to partner in a joint venture with an airline which is the end customer that's a major deal," said T Hastings Siegfried, NORDAM’s vice chairman and chief operating officer.
NORDAM repairs on jet engine parts like cowlings, thrust reversers and flight controls in Tulsa.
Siegfried said the new deal means the company will build a service center in Taiwan and use the Tulsa facility as a home base for servicing, purchasing and shipping components.
“I believe that both companies joined together will make it a great success in Asia-Pacific region," said Ho Nuan-Hsuan, China Airlines’ chairman.
These partnerships are why officials say Aviation and Aerospace is the Oklahoma's second largest industry behind oil and gas.
The State of Oklahoma’s Aeronautics and Aerospace Commission said the aviation industry is responsible for $43.7-billion in economic activity.
Just off-site the industry employs about 59,000 employees.
We're also told by officials Tulsa outpaces OKC in economic development when it comes to aviation and aerospace.
“Well I think one of the things that we're always looking at is how can we continue to grow our core industries as a city and branch out in other areas all the while knowing that the real competition in the marketplace is national and international and NORDAM has been a leader in that for decades," said Tulsa Mayor GT Bynum.
NORDAM said it hopes to have its China Airlines facility opened in the next 12-18 months.
“Tulsa is where we started. It's where my father saw the vision. We're getting ready to celebrate our 50th year here very soon of being here in Tulsa and being a company called NORDAM and we ourselves another 50 years here in Tulsa," said Siegfried.
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