Lockheed Martin Expands Presence in Lexington, KY with New Engineering Center of Excellence Facility

Yesterday, Mayor Linda Gorton joined local officials and representatives from Lockheed Martin, a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery, as the company celebrated the grand opening of a new facility on the University of Kentucky’s Coldstream Research Campus, adding up to 70 full-time jobs to the community. The project was supported by Commerce Lexington Economic Development, which continues to play a key role in bringing together business, education, and community leaders to strengthen Central Kentucky’s economy.

​“We are thankful for Lockheed Martin’s commitment to being a strong corporate partner, and to increasing job opportunities in Lexington,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “Lexington is a great place to grow a business, thanks to our strong, resilient workforce.”

The defense sector's growing demand for innovative engineering and manufacturing solutions has led to the establishment of Lockheed Martin's new facility, which will provide critical engineering support of transformative technologies and help enable its commitment to deliver 21st Century Security Solutions. As a long-time partner to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Lockheed Martin has more than 1,500 employees in the state, working to meet the needs of global security customers, and to support their critical missions around the world. With over 15 years of collaboration, Lockheed Martin and Central Kentucky have together enabled some of the nation's most important missions across air, land, space, and sea.

​We are excited to expand our presence in Lexington and create new job opportunities for the local community,” said Vic Torla, Vice President of Lockheed Martin Lexington Programs. “This new facility will enable us to tap into the region’s talented workforce and further enhance our ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions to our customers across the globe.”

We are proud to be a part of the Lexington community and look forward to continuing to contribute to the local economy, and building upon our existing partnership with the University of Kentucky” said Torla. “We believe that this new facility will not only benefit our customers but also the local community and partners, and we are excited to see the positive impact it will have.”

​The new facility comes after Lockheed Martin and the University of Kentucky  announced in April a partnership  through UK Innovate, to leverage cutting-edge expertise to drive innovation in advancing engineering, materials, energy and manufacturing technology.

At the University of Kentucky, we believe strongly that our Commonwealth’s future will be built by the innovators we educate, the industries we support and the partnerships we forge. This collaboration with Lockheed Martin is a powerful example of how our university is leading on all three fronts,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “Together, we are accelerating solutions to some of our state’s most pressing challenges — expanding opportunity for our students, strengthening Kentucky’s economy and advancing technologies that matter to our nation’s future.”

The recently established partnership between Lockheed Martin and University of Kentucky is a leading example that will help grow the regional workforce,” said Commerce Lexington President and CEO, Bob Quick. “Commerce Lexington plays a vital role in connecting education and business to encourage meaningful relationships, share essential resources, and build a strong talent pipeline. We appreciate the company’s investment and confidence in the Greater Lexington area, and we look forward to working with its team in the future.”

To learn more about Commerce Lexington's economic development efforts click here.