Colorado Ranks Second in Country for Aerospace Industry Employment
Colorado is now the number-two state in the country for employment by the aerospace industry, according to the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (Metro Denver EDC). The corporation’s 2007 Aerospace Industry Cluster Profile, released on September 19, 2007, reports that Colorado’s aerospace industry employs more than 26,000 people, a growth rate of nearly 13 percent from last year. Colorado ranks number two behind California and is followed by Texas, New Jersey, and Florida in third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.
The Metro Denver EDC cites Colorado’s combination of major aerospace contractors, highly educated workforce, research institutions, military presence, and NASA funding as factors contributing to the growth of the industry. The United Launch Alliance is a new venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin to form one of the largest rocket launch companies in the world, and the company is headquartered in the Metro Denver area, employing 1,600 workers. Nearly 500 industry employees work for Lockheed Martin Space Systems’ Orion project, developing a cutting-edge space exploration vehicle intended to replace the Space Shuttle. The project holds the potential for adding 600 more jobs in Colorado by 2009. A number of Colorado companies collaborated on the launch of a recent commercial imaging satellite, the WorldView-1, including DigitalGlobe, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation, and the United Launch Alliance.
Holland & Hart is ideally situated to serve the legal needs of the aerospace industry, with offices in Colorado Springs, Denver, and Boulder, as well as in Washington, D.C. As this industry grows, attorneys in Holland & Hart’s innovative space law practice will continue to serve the specialized needs of the aerospace business, including export and import of technologies, project contracting, anti-corruption laws, and intellectual property. Among the members of the Holland & Hart Space Law group include an inductee into the Space Hall of Fame and a graduate from the International Space University. The group’s attorneys are also involved in the aerospace community in a variety of capacities, including serving as General Counsel for the U.S. Space Foundation and speaking at aerospace-related symposia and conferences throughout the country and the world. Holland & Hart is a corporate partner of the Space Foundation.
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