Bob
Austin describes Helicomb International.
A. CUERVO / Tulsa World
Ten years ago, when Helicomb International was celebrating its 10th
anniversary, military manufacturing and repair orders surged with the Persian
Gulf War. Employment hit 130 workers.
But just when it seemed that the
privately held aerospace manufacturer could do no wrong, Congress and the
Pentagon began what became known as the "ethnic cleansing of the aerospace
industry," a series of budget cuts and downsizing that left Helicomb with 65
employees in 1996.
"In '96, we got the fix," said President and Chief
Executive Officer Bob Austin. "Everything stabilized. They got to the point
where they couldn't cut anymore. The oil business stabilized; it couldn't go
down anymore. Everybody was lean and mean -- the survivors, anyway."
After 1996, the defense and oil industries, which are the heart of
Helicomb's business, began to rebound.
The military services began to
replenish their depleted inventories of helicopters and airplanes. Oil prices
rose, which encouraged more exploration, drilling and flying.
From $5.5 million in revenue in 1996, the company's business steadily
improved and employment clicked upward again. In 2000, revenue topped $10
million with 100 employees.
We are looking at new opportunities to
diversify so that when the next downturn comes, we will be protected a little,"
Austin said. "Our (Boeing) C-17 work is on an in-production aircraft that has
firm orders for the next five years, so it's nice to be on that job."
Helicomb also worked on the International Space Station, although its $3
million contract to build a battery box for the station's solar arrays was
canceled after the company delivered the box.
But the space work only
whetted the company's appetite.
"Now, we're working with a couple of
dozen groups on some (commercial) satellite work," Austin said.