Falcon International

Ed Rose, president and chief executive officer of Falcon International Inc., doesn’t hesitate when you ask why he decided to bring the headquarters of his multifaceted armament and coating business home to Odessa.

“The business climate out here,” Rose said while standing in his metal structure just off FM 1936, as remodeling workers scurried around him. “You can see this place is hopping. It has been since day one.

“You can do business on a handshake here,” Rose noted.

Thanks to that business climate and the work ethic of construction crews and off-duty firefighters who are busily remodeling a 15,000-square-foot building at 3210 N. FM 1936 into Falcon International’s Odessa facility, the company expects to be in full operation next week.

The biggest holdup to the company’s startup plans now is delivery of its equipment that is expected to begin Wednesday, Rose said.

That will follow a ceremony scheduled at 10 a.m. Monday at UTPB’s Center for Energy and Economic Diversification. Following the ceremony, a tour will be conducted of the Falcon facility.

Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, is to be present for the event along with Mark Ellison, head of Governor’s Emerging Technology Fund. Ellison is to announce funding for Falcon International and Pecos Algae Biofuels of Pecos. Other dignitaries are also expected for the event.

Odessa Economic Development Director Gary Vest, who along with Economic Development Consultant Neil McDonald, is credited with helping to bring the armament manufacturer to Odessa, said the future is bright for Falcon.

“Falcon International brings a real unique operation to Odessa,” Vest said. “It brings us some diversification that won’t be on the same up-and-down cycle as the oil industry.”

He said Falcon International, which has expertise in construction of composite panels used in the armor industry, has contracts with WestWind Technologies and the U.S. Army. The technology offers a solution which meets National Institute of Justice standards while reducing costs.

Rose said once the Odessa facility produces the armored panels from composite materials, they’ll then be shipped to Falcon’s facility in Huntsville, Ala., where the panels will be installed in U.S. Army helicopters.

“They have so many different directions they can go that we think they’ll be really good for Odessa,” Vest said.

Vest also noted that the company was one of only 10 companies that received money from the Texas Emerging Technologies Fund. The Odessa Development Corp. introduced Falcon to the West Texas Coalition for Innovation and Commercialization last year.

“Falcon’s innovative technology in the production of lightweight, composite armament panels will benefit our military greatly and will lead to economic benefits for Odessa, West Texas and the State of Texas for years to come,” ODC Board President Tom McMinn said.

In addition to the ETF funds, the ODC has committed $1.7 million in incentives over five years. As part of the contract to get the grants, the company is required to spend a total of $600,000, have nine employees and a payroll of at least $360,000 in the first year.

Rose said his contract with the ODC requires him to have 100 employees at the end of five years, a goal Rose feels the company can meet despite the tight labor force locally.

Falcon’s first employees in Odessa will include Rose, executive assistant Jaime Stockbridge, office manager Nicole Brown and production manager Damien Martel.

A 1984 graduate of Permian High, Rose is the son of Mo and Nita Martel of Odessa who formerly operated Martel’s Machine Shop. Rose said he left Odessa 21 years ago and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. But the call of home was too much to bear.

“It’s nice to come back home,” he said.

IF YOU GO

>> What: The awarding of $850,000 to Falcon International Inc. by the West Texas Coalition for Innovation and Commercialization for the Texas Emerging Technology Fund.

>> When: 10 a.m. Monday.

>> Where: The Center for Energy and Economic Diversification, at the intersection of State Highway 191 and FM 1788.