Arotech is growing its staff and footprint in Ann Arbor, doubling its commercial space with another 40,000 square feet and hiring 40 people over the last year.
That growth is coming from the Ann Arbor-based defense firm's training and simulation division. That division, which employs 168 people, has watched its revenue jump 39 percent last year and expects another healthy year in 2013.
Spearheading that growth are a couple of large contracts with the U.S. military. The largest is providing a simulation suite to the U.S. Army that helps soldiers train to find and disarm improvised explosive devices, commonly known as IEDs. The suite helps teach soldiers how to use equipment that finds and disarms IEDs, along with the vehicles that protect the disarming operation.
"We're in the process of delivering our 15th suite out of 28," says Kurt Flosky, executive vice president of
Arotech's training and simulation division. "We're delivering one per month."
Arotech's training and simulation division has also enjoyed more business from the law enforcement and homeland security sectors. It has a contract with the U.S. Airforce to provide simulation technology to train soldiers how to operate mid-flight refueling booms and several contracts with municipal law enforcement agencies for training and use-of-force simulation.
Source: Kurt Flosky, executive vice president of Arotech
Writer: Jon Zemke
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