Arkadelphia

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ROHR Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Superplastic forming operations.

Written and compiled by S. Poole

"Rohr Industries experienced so much difficulty in getting a permit for a new manufacturing plant that it gave up and moved to Arkansas. The permit that would have cost $750,000 in California cost only $750 in Arkansas" (Farah & Antonucci).

After 10 months of recruiting, Rohr announced in February of 1992 their plan to build a $25 million plant in the Clark County Industrial Park at Gum Springs. Rohr chose Clark County because it met their criteria by having a city with a university, an interstate highway, an available industrial site with full utilities, low utility rates and a labor force. Rohr planned a 225,000 square foot facility to build jet aircraft engine components and employ 50 people it's first year, adding 50 more employees each year through 1995 (Webb, 1992).

This new facility was expected to be operational in late 1992 (PR Newswire, 26 Feb 1992).

Rohr deferred completion of the new facility in Arkadelphia while it closed it's Auburn, Washington and Hagerstown, Maryland plants (Rohr, p. 23).  

George R. Ryan, a former GM from the Foley plant was named GM of this facility (Webb, 1992). 

Rohr Arkadelphia was scheduled to begin operating in late 1992, then was set to open at the end of 1993, however by February 1993, construction had slowed down on the new plant (Douglass, E. 1993, Feb. 23; Rohr continues layoffs as earnings decrease. The San Diego Union-Tribune, pp. C.1).

On August 24, 1993, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the planned opening of Rohr Arkadelphia "in 1993 never occurred. Plant mouthballed instead." The function of this plant was intended for superplastic forming operations (Douglass, p. C1).

References:
Douglass, Elizabeth. 23 Feb. 1993
Douglass, Elizabeth. “Rohr Still Pays for Heyday’s Decisions.” The San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Aug. 1993, pp. C1, C5.
Farah & Antonucci.
PR Newswire, 26 Feb 1992.
Rohr
Webb, 1992