The weekly Illinois Bicentennial series is brought to you by the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors and Illinois Press Association. More than 20 newspapers are creating stories about the state’s history, places and key moments in advance of the Bicentennial on Dec. 3, 2018. Stories published up to this date can be found at 200illinois.com.
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ROCKFORD — Many Illinoisans don’t realize it, but our state is a center of aerospace and aviation technology.
Illinois’ aerospace cluster is centered around the northern and northeastern portion of the state. The Rockford area alone has more than 70 companies in the aerospace supply chain employing 7,000 people, says the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
If you include Chicago and southeastern Wisconsin, “there are more than 200 companies in the aerospace cluster, including giants such as AAR Corp., Northrop Grumman and Boeing,” DCEO says.
Illinois is home to prime contractors and subcontractors that together supply the U.S. military, NASA, Boeing, Airbus and smaller airplane manufacturers with numerous systems and components.
In fact, it’s been estimated that there’s no commercial jet in the air today (apart from those made in Russia) that does not have Illinois-made parts and systems on it.
Why northern Illinois? Sagar Patel, president of aircraft turbines at Woodward Inc. in Loves Park, explains.
“Over time we have built the ecosystem here, with companies that planted their roots here long ago and have adapted to the changing technologies successfully,” says Patel.
In 2016 Woodward, founded 147 years ago in Rockford, built a $300 million factory to manufacture jet engine fuel systems that can be found on most jets. The new, 440,000-square-foot plant, which is gearing up to employ more than 1,000 people, is the company’s second in Loves Park. The first one, built in 1941, continues to operate.
The northern Illinois aerospace ecosystem of companies is recognized as having “solid research and development, staying ahead of the competition from around the world,” Patel said. “If you continue doing that, you’ll continue to be relevant and strong,” he said, adding, “as long as we don’t get complacent.