MAF adding tenant, jobs

NEW ORLEANS -- A new tenant is moving in and another expanding at Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in east New Orleans. The changes will add 45 new jobs. Gov. John Bel Edwards and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Director Todd May joined local and state officials Wednesday to announce the jobs and provide an update on the latest at MAF. In addition to the new jobs, state leaders announced plans for an aerospace program at nearby Nunez Community College to train students for careers at Michoud and other regional employers. Also, Sinter Metal Technologies, a global supplier of metal and ceramic parts that is based in Liechtenstein, announced Wednesday it will move some of its operations to MAF. The company intends to invest $5 million in a new sintering facility at Michoud to bond powder-based metals, material that will be used to make strong precision parts. The plan will create 15 jobs at an average salary of $55,000 a year. In addition, Advanced Cutting Solutions, which specializes in kit-cutting tough materials like fiberglass, Kevlar and dry carbon, also said it is expanding its presence at the facility, adding 30 new jobs at an average salary of $40,000 a year. (Source: nola.com, 11/01/17) MAF is building aerostructures for NASA's Space Launch System and Stennis Space Center is testing rocket engines for the program.