ATLAS North America to Move SEAFOX Manufacturing Line from Germany to Virginia Beach

December 17, 2013

Atlas North America, a manufacturer and provider of technical and logistical support to the United States defense market, will open a manufacturing facility for its SEAFOX product line in Virginia Beach. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Elektronik GmbH of Bremen, Germany.

Atlas North America focuses on remotely operated autonomous underwater vehicles such as SEAFOX, SEACAT and SEA OTTER. The staff is comprised largely of former naval officers and senior enlisted personnel with significant operational experience in all aspects of naval warfare. The company’s largest clients are the U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin, both of which have a significant presence in Virginia Beach.

Atlas North America has eight employees located at 208 Golden Oak Court in the Lynnhaven section of Virginia Beach. The company also has an office in Panama City, Florida.

Atlas North America will transfer the technology and move the manufacturing of the SEAFOX product line from Germany to Virginia Beach. This expansion will create five full-time jobs with average salaries of $112,000 over the next 36 months. Additionally, the company will invest $506,000 in capital improvements, $392,500 in training and $250,000 for research and development for this new manufacturing capability.

The Virginia Beach Development Authority has awarded Atlas North America an Economic Development Investment Program grant in the amount of $20,000 based on the investment and number of jobs created.

“We have a spike of international businesses moving to and expanding in Virginia Beach,” said Warren D. Harris, director of Virginia Beach Economic Development. “We have had much success in recruiting new businesses from Germany. This company will find proximity to its largest clients, a highly skilled workforce and several friends in the advanced manufacturing community to support this strategic location.”

ATLAS North America serves the United States market with a specific focus on undersea warfare and unmanned vehicles. Located close to the U.S. Navy’s Atlantic Fleet bases and Washington, D.C. for enhanced customer service, the company is capable of providing any of the ATLAS Group products as well as a broad range of associated technical and logistics support services for the entire product life cycle. For more information, visit atlas-elektronik.com.

The mission of the Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development is to attract and retain national and international businesses to stimulate capital investment and create jobs. Virginia Beach is the most populous city in Virginia with a population of 440,000, and it is the 39th largest in the United States. It is recognized as the Best Run City in America by 24/7 Wall St. The Department of Economic Development received re-accreditation through the International Economic Development Council in 2012 and is one of only 29 economic development organizations in the world to have this recognition. Virginia Beach has been recognized as 7th in Leading the Country in a Manufacturing Revival by Forbes. It is listed among the Top Five Overall Mid-sized American Cities of the Future, Top 10 for Economic Potential and Top Five for Infrastructure by fDi Magazine. CNNMoney.com ranked Virginia Beach as the Easiest Place to Start a Business and the 2nd Most Business-Friendly City in the country. For more information, visit www.yesvirginiabeach.com.

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