Maryland Success Story
ELTA North America
A few years after entering the U.S. market, this defense manufacturer is experiencing explosive growth.
Specialized Radars that Save Lives
From military and security personnel to first responders, ELTA North America designs and manufactures radar solutions that ensure the safety of citizens and those serving on the front lines, whether in ground, maritime or airborne domains.
ELTA North America shares a name with ELTA Systems, a group of the Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd (IAI). Since ELTA North America established roots in Maryland in 2011, the company’s main role has been to introduce the U.S. defense marketplace to ELTA Systems’ radars and integrated systems.
The company’s customers, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense, receive ELTA radars and systems specialized for each mission. For instance, ELTA’s small tactical radars are used by the US Border Patrol to protect our borders with Mexico. Another radar system is used in military aircraft for search and rescue.
For ELTA North America, the reward of its work goes beyond measurable success. Its technology saves lives.
“Right now many of our products are tactical systems that have an immediate impact to individual soldiers and warfighters,” said Dan Bader, Vice President of Business Operations for ELTA North America. “Within a calendar week of training a soldier on a product, they’re using it in a combat situation to protect troops and facilities. We’ve saved lives with our systems."
Hear ELTA's Story
Watch a short video to hear what ELTA does and why they do it in Maryland.
Frankly the incentives were better here. To grow our business, we found it was important to stay in Maryland.
Ready-Made Solutions Drive Explosive Growth
With access to IAI’s 17,000 employees and more than $3.5 billion in annual revenue, ELTA North America is able to connect both soldiers and citizens with top-of-the-line radar and electronics solutions yielding massive success and growth for the company.
The connection to IAI allows the company to rapidly respond to U.S. government procurement cycles with a ready-made product, because its products are already produced, operational and combat-tested through IAI’s support of military forces worldwide.
“It’s not something we build today and in 10 years, there’s an immediate effect,” said Bader. “The result happens in days or weeks, and that’s of tremendous value to us and to our employees, to know that we’re making that kind of an impact. If we can bring a product that’s ready now, faster, we can bring much more value than many other companies.”
When doors opened, ELTA North America had a few employees, some product brochures, and a 7,000 square foot space. By 2017, the company nearly doubled the workforce and relocated into a 28,000 square foot building.
“When we moved from Fulton to Annapolis Junction we had just under 20 employees,” Bader said. “Today, we have 45, and in 2018 we’re going to have over 100.”
With a Startup Mentality, A Promising Future
As ELTA North America looks to continue its explosive growth, Bader recognizes the company is only at the beginning of what looks like a promising road ahead.
“We are rapidly evolving and developing new products, and we have the mindset of being able to grow fast to meet the customer’s demands,” Bader says. “We may have a very large parent company, but we still operate under a startup mentality.”
In 2017, the company demonstrated its commitment to innovation and strategic growth through the opening of a planned Cyber Innovation Center at the ELTA North America headquarters.
“The next big expansion we see for ELTA North America is our Cyber Innovation Center,” said Bader.
Like ELTA North America does with its radars, the Cyber Innovation Center will allow the company to take technologies that are developed in Israel, import them to the U.S., and adapt them to the local needs of government and even the commercial sector.
ELTA’s rapid growth and success in Maryland isn’t over. With a strong workforce pipeline, the company has a sustainable future.
“We’ve been successful in drawing people from outside of Maryland to this area,” said Bader. “And why do they come? Because of the schools, the educational opportunities, the housing, the central location to many facilities – it’s a good place to be. It’s a good place to raise a family.”
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