YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
The size of roughly five smartphones stacked on top of each other, EaglePicher power modules for U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft create a huge impact, not only in pilot’s safety but for the region’s economy. Sold exclusively to the U.S. government, EaglePicher employs 120 skilled professionals in Seneca to design and manufacturer these emergency ejection seat power modules.
SBJ: Tell us about EaglePicher’s power modules.
EaglePicher: EaglePicher supplies power modules for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy aircraft emergency ejection seats. The (Advanced Concept Ejection Seat) II power module is supplied to the U.S. Air Force at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. EaglePicher’s ACES is installed on multiple Air Force aircraft platforms, such as the F16, F15, A10, B1, B2 and B21. EaglePicher also makes the (Navy Aircrew Common Ejection Seat) power module which is used by the U.S. Navy at the Naval Support Facility Indian Head in Maryland. The NACES is used on Navy’s F18 Hornet and Super Hornet aircrafts.
SBJ: How are they used?
EaglePicher: Installed on the ejection seats in the aircrafts, these devices power the digital recovery sequencer which coordinates all of the pyrotechnic devices on the ejection seat, allowing safe ejection of the military personnel.
SBJ: Where are they made?
EaglePicher: EaglePicher has been located in the Ozarks for nearly 150 years. We started as a miner and processor of lead and zinc, and transitioned to manufacturing products using those mined materials. Over time, the focus turned to a full manufacturing enterprise utilizing much of the existing land, buildings and personnel. We now have over 500,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space employing 650 team members in the Ozarks area. These power modules are made at our Seneca campus, which is located on 116 acres.
SBJ: What are your priorities when sourcing production materials?
EaglePicher: EaglePicher seeks talented, qualified small-business suppliers in numerous socioeconomic categories to contribute to our continued business growth. It is EaglePicher’s goal to pursue opportunities to award subcontractors and procurements to socioeconomic categories such as Woman Owned Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Historically Underutilized Business Zone, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business and Veteran Owned Small Business.
SBJ: What impact does being in the Ozarks have on the industry?
EaglePicher: EaglePicher has an established domestic manufacturing capacity, the workforce to support this manufacturing, along with research and development resources to continue advancing energetic device technologies. In order to ensure the United States’ economic prosperity and national security, developing a resilient energetic supply chain is paramount. EaglePicher can help the country meet supply chain goals by facilitating greater domestic production and leveraging a world-class American manufacturing workforce in the Ozarks.
SBJ: Do you have expansion plans?
EaglePicher: We are also working with aircraft manufacturers on next generation power modules for ejection seats in training aircraft. EaglePicher recently began production of pyrotechnic initiators that will be used in the ejection seats as well.
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