American Ordnance Opens Business Development Center At Army Plant.

Business Editors & Government Writers

MIDDLETON, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 27, 2001

Iowa Army Ammunition Plant--American Ordnance (AO), prime contractor to the U.S. Army at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAAP), disclosed today that a business development center (BDC) has been established within the premises of IAAAP, in Middletown, Iowa.

The center will offer both fledgling entrepreneurs and established businesses seeking to expand, cost effective manufacturing space, support services and management assistance at the 19,000 acre Army reservation.

The ambitious program to assist the local business community is part of the Army's Armament Retooling and Manufacturing Support (ARMS) program to open available facilities and land at under used government-owned munitions plants to private sector business. Under the provisions of this program, the ammunition plants can find new life as commercial manufacturing centers.

Mr. Doug Hanify, AO representative, stated, "A joint agreement exists between the Burlington Area Development Corporation (BADCO), American Ordnance LLC (AO), and Pendulum Management Company LLC (PMC) to develop and add value to the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAAP) by providing manufacturing services to Burlington area businesses. Opening the doors of the new BDC at IAAAP to community businesses is part of the strategic plan for improving the economic picture at IAAAP and surrounding Burlington area."

American Ordnance, a limited liability company made up of Day & Zimmermann, Inc. (DZ) and General Dynamics Ordnance Systems (GDOS), is the operating contractor at IAAAP and has a facility use contract allowing the dual use of the government-owned facility in Southeast Iowa at Middletown.

The Burlington Area Development Corporation (BADCO) is a non-profit corporation dedicated to assisting regional businesses to gain maximum use of regional resources to sustain and grow their businesses. Kathy Evert, Vice President, Economic Development stated, "The IAAAP project presents a unique opportunity for Industry, Government and DesMoines County to work cooperatively in exploiting the assets of IAAAP."

PMC, an asset management company headquartered in Charlestown, Indiana, is dedicated to maximizing the value of government assets and technology. PMC's managing partner, Mr. Sid Saunders, stated, "Being involved in the three-way agreement allows PMC, AO and the Army to work cooperatively in growing the Burlington area and PMC's efforts in bringing new tenants to IAAAP means the cost of operation to the Government is reduced."

Additional information on the Iowa site is available at www.iowasite.com. For more specific information on the plant, contact Mr. Doug Hanify at American Ordnance, email [e-mail]. For information on the business development center, contact Mr. Sid Saunders, email [e-mail] or call the center at 319/753-7230.