Military supplier opens plant in Biddeford

BIDDEFORD – A Norwegian company that supplies high-tech electric-optical instruments to the military opened its U.S. headquarters and production facilities Thursday in an Biddeford industrial park.

Vingtech, a subsidiary of Simrad Optronics ASA of Oslo, said the new facility has a current work force of 20 that’s expected to grow to 40 by year’s end and to 60 by 2012. The company projected 2008 sales at $20 million, a figure expected to triple within three to five years.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, Commissioner John Richardson of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development and Simrad President and CEO Jon Asbjorn Bo spoke before a ceremonial ribbon cutting and tour of the facility.

“We looked at locations all along the East Coast of the United States, but Maine is the place we want to be,” Bo said. “This is a place where we know we can have great workers and grow our company.”

Vingtech also was swayed by tax incentives offered under a state program targeted at areas in need of economic development, the availability of job training, strong support from the City of Biddeford and the influential role of Maine’s U.S. senators on defense issues, he said.

Simrad makes equipment used in remote weapon systems, electric-optical products for surveillance systems, weapon improvement systems, small unmanned aerial vehicles and dynamic systems for armored vehicles.

Vingtech is a supplier to a General Dynamics armaments unit that has a plant in neighboring Saco.