NORTH KINGSTOWN – A California-based defense technology manufacturer, which has a facility in Quincy, Mass., will construct a new site in the Quonset Business Park and will be open for business in about a year.
R.I. Commerce Corp. formally announced Tuesday that Anduril Industries Inc. will locate one of its manufacturing and production facilities in the business park to build autonomous maritime systems and technologies. On Monday, R.I. Commerce’s board of directors approved incentive agreements for Anduril that include $5.4 million in total tax credits within the Rebuild Rhode Island and the Qualified Jobs Incentive tax credit programs over the next 12 years, R.I. Commerce spokesperson Matthew Touchette confirmed Tuesday to Providence Business News.
Along with state officials being welcoming toward the company, Anduril representatives told PBN it chose the Ocean State to build its new $8.3 million manufacturing facility because it would be in close proximity to the Quincy facility – about an hour south. Plus, Rhode Island has an experienced workforce within the maritime sector, including Andruil’s soon-to-be neighboring tenant in General Dynamics Electric Boat, Andruil representatives said.
“Our Maritime Division continues to develop advanced undersea capabilities and, with large contract awards both in the United States and Australia, we are committed to the mass manufacturing of those proven capabilities at speed and at scales that matter,” Andruil Senior Vice President Shane Arnott said in a statement.
Andruil through the qualified jobs tax credit program will create 133 new full-time jobs over the next five years to work at the new facility, which is expected to be in operation by September 2025, Touchette said. R.I. Commerce says Andruil, based in Costa Mesa, Calif., helps transform U.S. and allied militaries with advanced technology, combining modern software expertise with a rapid and differentiated approach to hardware development and manufacturing. The company primarily serves federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“We welcome Anduril to the Ocean State,” R.I. Commerce Secretary Elizabeth “Liz” Tanner said in a statement. “Their presence will not only create high-paying jobs but also drive innovation in ocean technology, helping to establish Rhode Island's position as a leader in the blue economy.”
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
