Aerospace innovation takes off
New Morgantown facility boosts Kentucky’s role in global aviation
WHAT DO AERIAL firefighting aircraft, unmanned drones and business jets have in common? Increasingly, they’re flying with components engineered and built in Morgantown.
Earlier this year, Aerospace Composites Solutions launched operations at its new 150,000-square-foot manufacturing and engineering center in the Morgantown Industrial Park. The state-of-the-art facility more than quadruples the company’s production capacity and adds 72 full-time jobs in Butler County.
“It’s a recommitment to building the future of aerospace manufacturing right here in Morgantown,” says Matt Shieman, president of ACS. “We’re elevating what’s possible in composites manufacturing.”
ACS designs and produces aerospace-grade composite components—lightweight, durable alternatives to metal that improve aircraft performance and reduce maintenance costs. With advanced features like contamination-controlled cleanrooms, climate-controlled fabrication areas and specialized curing equipment, the new facility is built to meet the demanding standards of the aviation and defense industries.
Bill Smrtic, founding partner at ACS, says the investment isn’t only about infrastructure. “This facility is a symbol of our commitment to growing local talent and making a global impact. We’re proud to be creating career opportunities while advancing the aerospace sector.”
Already, ACS supports more than a dozen aerospace programs and has contributed to over 50 certified projects, from design and prototyping to regulatory approval.
“Aerospace Composites Solutions is the kind of innovative, community-minded company that strengthens the entire region,” says Dewayne McDonald, president and CEO of Warren RECC, which serves the plant.
The company’s expansion also reflects the broader growth of Kentucky’s aerospace and manufacturing industries. Located just off Interstate 165, ACS benefits from Morgantown’s first Build-Ready certified site, a strategic asset that helped attract this high-tech operation to the area.
During the grand opening, Tim Flener, Butler County judge-executive, said ACS shows that smart investment and local partnership create real opportunities: “This facility reinforces that Morgantown is open for innovation, investment and long-term growth.”
With a clear runway for expansion and a talented team behind it, ACS is helping position Kentucky at the forefront of the global aerospace industry—one lightweight, high-performance component at a time.
Inside the cleanroom
Aerospace Composites Solutions’ new facility includes a 15,000-square-foot contamination-controlled cleanroom—part of a suite of upgrades designed to deliver high-precision aerospace components.
“This facility transforms our capabilities to meet aerospace industry demands,” says Matt Shieman, president of ACS. “With the larger building and investments in new equipment, we have more than quadrupled our manufacturing capacity and are now better equipped to serve our aerospace partners with faster turnaround, higher precision and greater innovation.”
