The Department of Defense has identified several factors that threaten our nation’s industrial base, threats to our supply chain was exposed by COVID-19 as dependency on
foreign production, manufacturing and workforce skills. To rectify this, Funding from the EDA’ Build Back Better grant to the West Texas Aerospace and Defense Manufacturing Coalition will aid in closing America’s gap in aerospace and defense manufacturing capabilities.
The El Paso Makes Coalition along with GM, the El Paso Electric Company and the City of El Paso, University of Texas El Paso (UTEP), the El Paso Chamber of Commerce and the City of El Paso has joined forces to bolster defense and manufacturing capabilities by attracting and assisting new entrants into those industries in our region, while also building skills of our area’s workforce.
Due to the close proximity of Fort Bliss, white Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base the property available at El Paso International Airport (ELP) was identified as an ideal location. Co-locating aerospace, defense and other advanced manufacturing activities in a centralized location at ELP will create economies of scale for tenants which will benefit through cost savings in training back-office support, environmental management, product design and value chain.
The El Paso International Airport Air Cargo Complex, Cargo 4 building will be transformed into Innovation Factory and will be a part of the Advanced Manufacturing Campus. The Innovation Factory will be a space to allow small business' options for collaborative work.
Deadline to apply is March 3, 2023 before 5:00 p.m. (MST)
Please reach out to InnovationFactory@elpasotexas.gov if you need assistance with your application.
Apply Here
Our Incentive & Lease Policy
Private and Common Spaces
30,000 square feet of space has been identified for the Innovation Factory. It includes both private and common use spaces to support a full operation. Private spaces include modular offices, storage and maker spaces which can be secured. Common use areas include conference rooms, restrooms, and break room. This allows our home-grown operations to focus on the work and invest in people rather than expensive leases and long-term investments. Supporting your innovation is our priority and a space like this can help get you off the ground.
