Following two recent major additive manufacturing hardware orders and the acquisition of two machine tool shops, Beehive Industries has announced a $70 million investment in its operations in Southwest Ohio.
The U.S. manufacturer of 3D printed jet engines for uncrewed aerial defence applications unveiled the news during Farnborough International Airshow alongside Governor of Ohio Mike DeWine, JobsOhio and REDI Cincinnati.
"Our success is fundamentally tied to the caliber of the workforce we are building in Southwest Ohio,” said Gordie Follin, Chief Product Officer at Beehive Industries. “Beehive Industries is investing in a region that possesses a unique combination of aerospace heritage and precision manufacturing skill. This expansion allows us to pair our advanced additive manufacturing technology with the deep technical expertise found there, creating a sustainable model for growth that benefits both our mission and Ohio’s economy."
Beehive's Frenzy engine is entering full-rate production and the company has set itself a target of producing more than 8,000 engines annually. Last month, it placed an order for 30 additional EOS M4 ONYX additive manufacturing systems - thought to be the single largest purchase of EOS metal printers to date - followed by a pair of NXG 600E systems from Nikon SLM Solutions. It also invested in assets from Greater Cincinnati-based Able Tool Corporation and its subsidiary Planet Products Corporation to provide immediate, production-ready machining capability.
Beehive has described its growth in Ohio as 'a scalable blueprint for meeting the urgency of modern defence demands'. The expansion is expected to create 200+ new jobs. It stands to benefit from the State of Ohio and JobsOhio's statewide “Team Ohio” economic development model, which aims to reduce red tape and speed up the delivery of certified, construction-ready sites to accelerate defence production.
"We are deeply grateful to Governor Mike DeWine, JobsOhio, and REDI Cincinnati for their exceptional collaboration and confidence in Beehive Industries," said Darius Ehteshami, Chief Operations and Finance Officer of Beehive Industries. “Their proactive economic tools and regional talent prove that when visionary state leadership aligns with modern defense manufacturing, it creates a model that other states – from the Midwest to the Mountain West – would be wise to emulate."
