Alliant Techsystems (ATK) celebrated the grand opening of its new Aircraft Commercial Center of Excellence (ACCE) facility in Clearfield, Utah - less than one year after the announcement of the expansion.

The facility serves as the headquarters for ATK's commercial aircraft programs and supports the manufacturing of composite airframe and engine components for the Airbus A350 XWB, and General Electric and Rolls-Royce engine programs.

As previously announced, ATK has received commercial aircraft component orders exceeding $1 billion over the last several years.

"Our new Aircraft Commercial Center of Excellence is a key component in our strategy to capitalize on the growing demand for modern, more efficient commercial aircraft." said Mark DeYoung, ATK's President and CEO.

"Our longstanding experience in highly-engineered composite structures and our expertise in automated manufacturing methods are now matched by a state-of-the-art production facility", he added.

"Combined with our $500 million of orders for military aircraft composite structures, ATK is in two high-growth markets for the long-term," said ATK Aerospace Systems President Blake Larson.

The building is 615,000 square feet dedicated to high-rate composite manufacturing. ATK has approximately 100,000 square feet committed to clean rooms which accommodate its patented automated stiffener forming technology and engine wrap machines. Initial production of 700 parts per month will accelerate with customer needs and market expansion. At rate production levels, the ACCE facility will produce 10,000 parts per month. "As a result of the growth in our structures business, ATK expects to add up to 800 future jobs in support of composite manufacturing in Utah," says Joy de Lisser, Vice President and General Manager of Aerospace Structures. "With the hands-on training we offer, this growth creates an opportunity to develop a workforce possessing the high-tech skills needed in the aerospace industry."