Oklahoma City Economic Reports

[Bellaboo]

This is actually really good - High end technology coming.

http://kfor.com/2018/01/26/aerospace...officials-say/

[TheTravellers]

The Oklahoma Aerospace and Autonomous Systems Council is working to bring companies like this to Oklahoma, in manufacturing, R&D, civilian, military, aerial, terrestrial and aquatic. I serve on that council, led by Oklahoma Secretary of Science & Technology Kelvin Droegemeier. In the future when semi- and fully-autonomous 18-wheelers are driving coast-to-coast, we’ll have a compatible road system ready for them. When someone needs a license to operate those vehicles, we’ll be ready. When Oklahoma utility companies want to patrol their networks with aerial drones flying beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), they’ll be licensed, trained and experienced.

You’ll be happy to know we’re already working on these things.

Now if we could only get our roads built, rebuilt, paved, and striped correctly, as well as lighted properly.... Sorry, just seems kinda funny to have all this great tech, but we can't even get our roads or lights done right.

[5alive]

http://www.koco.com/article/live-gov...o-okc/15896232

[jonny d]

Not Amazon or a tech company, so it sucks. More evidence that OKC is behind the times. /s

Dude....

[GaryOKC6]

We had another company quietly open an OKC office this week with plans to grow. Enel Green Power. They are a global green energy company. https://www.enel.com/

[Bellaboo]

Dude....

I think he was being a little sarcastic....

[Thomas Vu]

I think that's what S at the end means.

[jonny d]

Sorry! Rough day at work, so my sarcasm meter was off.

[gopokes88]

Now if we could only get our roads built, rebuilt, paved, and striped correctly, as well as lighted properly.... Sorry, just seems kinda funny to have all this great tech, but we can't even get our roads or lights done right.

Aren’t you one of the people who complains about the lack of diversification?

So we’re starting to get some and its on to the next complaint! There’s no pleasing most of this board

[baralheia]

Aren’t you one of the people who complains about the lack of diversification?

So we’re starting to get some and its on to the next complaint! There’s no pleasing most of this board

Truthfully, there's an awful lot to complain about in both this city and state, so imo it's not surprising. But that said, there's also a lot to look forward to, including the increased number of aerospace jobs on the way to OKC.

[gopokes88]

Truthfully, there's an awful lot to complain about in both this city and state, so imo it's not surprising. But that said, there's also a lot to look forward to, including the increased number of aerospace jobs on the way to OKC.

I get that, but there’s a lot to complain about anywhere. Ever hung out with a group of NYers? They hate it and complain constantly.

[mugofbeer]

Even here in Denver, there are complaints. There are too many apartments, it takes me twice as long to get to work as it used to, the airport is too far, the mayor is owned by developers, the mayor joined with anti-gentrification groups to protest development, there is too much crime, it doesn't matter the situation, there will always be complaints.

[warreng88]

Aerospace manufacturer landing in OKC

By: Sarah Terry-Cobo The Journal Record January 26, 2018

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma is getting its first original equipment aerospace manufacturing company.

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions Inc. is expanding its operations from San Diego, California, to Oklahoma City. Steve Fendley, president of the company’s Unmanned Systems Division, said proximity to Tinker Air Force Base, high quality of life, relatively low cost of living, the business-friendly environment and tax incentives helped attract the company. Tim Dickinson, senior business development manager for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, said it’s a big deal to get an advanced aircraft manufacturer in the state.

Kratos’ unmanned aerial systems division will begin in an 8,800-square-foot building near the base for its engineering and production planning phase. It will move into a 75,000-square-foot facility within six months for its manufacturing and production. Fendley said some workers found out about the expansion into Oklahoma and requested transfers. Though some will move from California, others will be hired locally, with up to 350 employees in the next few years.

Kratos has a $93 million contract to supply missile-capable drones to the Army and a $23 million drone contract awarded from an unnamed customer. The manufacturing work will include advanced parts manufacturing of composites materials.

The California production center was reaching capacity, producing slightly more than 100 drones annually. They needed to be able to expand and bring more contractors to build that out, Fendley said.

Dickinson said though Oklahoma has original equipment manufacturers in other industries, it doesn’t have any in the aerospace sector. It will house its engineering, design, manufacturing and final assembly in Oklahoma City.

That will increase the demand for new skills from the state’s workforce. It is a chance to build on the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics training future employees will need, he said. Dickinson, who previously managed support groups for the B-1 and B-52 bomber systems at Tinker, said the next generation of engineers have a new opportunity to develop composite materials.

“I’m excited about the kids doing things we weren’t able to do,” Dickinson said.

[Plutonic Panda]

The chamber has launched a new event aimed at connecting college grads with OKC area companies.

https://online.flippingbook.com/view/753669/19/

[Plutonic Panda]

Not economic news but didn’t know where else to put it and didn’t want to start a new thread.

A fun little survey(a tad long) for favorite things in Oklahoma. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N56FGSX

[KayneMo]

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the OKC metro added 11,500 jobs from December 2016 - December 2017, a 1.8% increase (ranking 21st out of the 53 metros by percentage with at least 1 million residents).

[catch22]

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the OKC metro added 11,500 jobs from December 2016 - December 2017, a 1.8% increase (ranking 21st out of the 53 metros by percentage with at least 1 million residents).

That's impossible. OKC is shrinking

[Urbanized]

Hahaha

[gopokes88]

That's impossible. OKC is shrinking

I miss the like button.

[GaryOKC6]

Here is our 2018 Economic Forecast for Oklahoma City. www.greateroklahomacity.com/forecast Great information here. 2018 looks to be a good year!

[Plutonic Panda]

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[gopokes88]

Here is our 2018 Economic Forecast for Oklahoma City. www.greateroklahomacity.com/forecast Great information here. 2018 looks to be a good year!

Awesome thanks for sharing

[Plutonic Panda]

Some exciting news from OKC Chamber CEO

When you look at OKC, when you look at diversity, whether it's population, income levels, industry diversity, demographics, and especially in job diversity, the metropolitan area does not look like anywhere else in the state.

We are a city-state.

We also provide 40 percent of the gross state product. Oil and gas in the metro is less than 3 percent. In the state it is a much higher percentage, but in the metro it is very little and the percentage of energy jobs in the metro is continuing to go down due to the growth that is taking place that is not in that industry sector. Aviation, aerospace, bio-science are all more than double the employment levels of oil and gas and growing faster.

Wallet Hub, using statistical calculations, ranked OKC as the seventh most diversified large city in the United States. Cities behind us that are least diversified are Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles and Miami. There is not a metro in Texas more diversified than Oklahoma City.

We're currently working 64 projects. Twenty-seven are in manufacturing. Ten are in distribution. Six are office projects. Five are shared service centers. Five are call centers. We need entry level jobs, mid-level jobs, executive jobs because we have all kinds of people coming into the labor force. They are not all college graduates or proficient in skills. You do not have everyone able to come in for the highest paying jobs. So just like diversity is desired in the kinds of companies, we also want diversity in the kinds of jobs.

http://newsok.com/okc-central-chat-t...rticle/5589859

[jonny d]

Some exciting news from OKC Chamber CEO



http://newsok.com/okc-central-chat-t...rticle/5589859

Just more proof that OKC, while not perfect, is diversifying their economy very well. It isn't totally recession proof, but most economies aren't. The fact it survived the latest oil plunge is proof of its diversification.

[ChrisHayes]

I'd like to know the details about the distribution and manufacturing projects. I'd love to get some big manufacturing complexes in the city.