El Paso Aerospace Incubator to Start With Five Hopefuls

El Paso is taking advantage of a $40 million federal grant to grow its defense and aerospace manufacturing industry. Five companies and a University of Texas at El Paso 3D-printing training program will use a 30,000-square-foot facility to develop advanced manufacturing capabilities for component manufacturers in the defense and aerospace industries. The Innovation Factory will be housed in a long-vacant cargo space at the El Paso International Airport.

It’s located across George Perry Boulevard from 250 acres of vacant airport land where an industrial park for manufacturers, named the Advanced Manufacturing District, will be developed beginning next year. Among the companies, is Infinite Elements: A 2-year-old El Paso company that’s developing technology to remove metals from waste electronics and make magnets for electric vehicle motors and wind turbines.

The city will use $25 million from the $40 million federal grant to construct the first three buildings, with a total of 250,000 square feet, in the manufacturing district. Construction is expected to begin by early 2024.