Turner Construction Co. recently topped out Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Advanced Manufacturing Facility in Huntsville, a project that broke ground in October 2017 and is set for completion this month.
The 136,000-square-foot industrial facility, sitting on 18.25 acres at Pulaski Pike and Prosperity Drive, will be used to produce subcomponents of the AR1 rocket engines, composite cases for rocket motors and 3D-printed rocket engine components. When announced, Aerojet Rocketdyne said the facility represented a $27 million initial investment. It also will mean hundreds of jobs when it begins operations and will further elevate North Alabama as a center of aerospace and technology.
The building’s exterior consists of steel framing with site-cast insulated load-bearing tilt-up wall panels. Inside, there will be several 5-ton and 10-ton cranes and other large-scale equipment handling systems. Turner is collaborating on the project with Fuqua & Partners Architects and engineers at LBYD, SSOE Group and S&ME.
The Sept. 28 ceremony also celebrated 70,000 safe man-hours on the project. Project executives and site leaders at the event included James Ramseier, senior manager at Aerojet Rocketdyne; Chip Cherry, CEO of Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce; Medora Gaddes, assistant project manager at Hoar Program Management (HPM); Justin Lanfair, Turner Construction project manager; and Denny Lulfs, Turner Construction superintendent.
