Road to Mars Coming Through Grand Junction, CO

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - May 11, 2017 - PRLog -- The Grand Junction Economic Partnership (GJEP) is pleased to announce that Wren Industries, a division of S Gang Enterprises in Grand Junction, Colo., has been awarded a contract to manufacture components for NASA's Orion project. Wren Industries won the contract following an RFQ process led by Arcata Associates Inc. on behalf of aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.

NASA's Orion Spacecraft is a multi-billion-dollar project with sights set on the moon, and Mars after that. The deep space project currently utilizes nearly 1,000 manufacturing subcontractors, of which more than 100 are based in Colorado, mainly on the Front Range. Wren Industries is the first company based in Mesa County, Colo., to be awarded such a contract and to join the esteemed list of approved suppliers to Lockheed Martin.

"Colorado has a well-established aerospace community and the award of this contract further acknowledges the Western Slope's well-educated workforce and high-technology business environment," said Colorado Congressman Scott Tipton (R-District 3). "I commend the efforts of everyone involved in making this project a reality."

"This is a milestone not only for Wren Industries, but for the entire Western Slope," added Rep. Dan Thurlow (HD55 - R). "There has been a concerted effort to highlight the many great aerospace companies operating in all parts of the state, and this win proves our efforts are beginning to be acknowledged."

This contract is the result of several years and numerous coordinated efforts to raise awareness of aerospace businesses on the Western Slope, including multiple road trips and interactions between Lockheed Martin and local businesses organized by the Colorado Space Business Roundtable (CSBR). Congressman Tipton and Rep. Thurlow are among the notable supporters of these efforts, alongside GJEP and CLUB 20, an advocacy group on the Western Slope.

Wren Industries launched in 1998 as a parts manufacturer for the rock climbing industry. Mike and Shannon Sneddon of S Gang Enterprises bought the company in 2008 and reimagined it as a precision manufacturing operation serving the aerospace and energy industries. Under the Sneddon's, the company has grown approximately 15 percent per year and has expanded from a 2,000 to 10,000-square foot facility.

"We're honored to be trusted with this contract," said Sneddon. "While it's a small contract, it allows us to prove our worth, and we are confident it is the first step toward a long-term relationship."

Wren Industries has already received two additional RFQs for projects pertaining to the Orion spacecraft. For more information about Wren Industries, visit www.wrenindustries.com.