Alliant Techsystems
 | |
| Company type | Public (NYSE: ATK) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace and Defense |
| Founded | 1990, spun off from Honeywell |
| Headquarters | Minneapolis, Minnesota, US |
Key people | Dan Murphy, CEO |
| Products | SLAM |
| Revenue | US $4.17 Bil. (2008),  17% from 2007 |
Number of employees | 17,000 |
| Divisions | ATK Armament Systems ATK Mission Systems ATK Space Systems |
| Subsidiaries | Federal Cartridge, CCI/Speer,Precision Fuze Company |
| Website | www.atk.com |
Alliant Techsystems Inc., and most commonly known by its NYSE: ATK ticker symbol, is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in America with approximately 17,000 employees and operations in 21 states. The company headquarters is located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis.
Background
ATK was formed in 1990 as a subsidiary of Honeywell Inc.. Honeywell was in the process of exiting the defense industry, and formed ATK as a vehicle to transfer substantially all of the assets and liabilities of those businesses, under a plan to spin off ATK to Honeywell stockholders as a separate company.
In 1995 ATK entered the aerospace market with the acquisition of Hercules Inc. Aerospace division. Since then ATK has grown to become a leading supplier of aerospace and defense products to the U.S. government and its allies, and to prime contractors. ATK is also a major supplier of ammunition and related accessories to law enforcement agencies and commercial customers.
ATK is the sole manufacturer of the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor used to launch the NASA Space Shuttle. In addition, ATK manufactures the booster separation systems that release the motors away from the Shuttle orbiter and the main liquid fuel tank. Nearly every NASA planetary probe has used some form of propulsion from the one of the company's divisions, and ATK also participated in the X-43A project. The company also produces the propulsion system used in the Trident D5 nuclear missile.
On June 14, 2009 the Minneapolis St. Paul Star Tribune reported that Alliant Techsystems, Edina, and Humbert CTTS SAS were awarded an approximately US$14mil contract to provide Speer GoldDot 9mm ammunition to the French Gendarmerie, French Customs, French Corrections and all 250,000 police officers in France. [1]
The company produces a number of controversial military products, including cluster bombs and depleted uranium rounds, which have both been mired in controversy. As a result, the company has been a target of peace movement protests, with weekly vigils held at Alliant Techsystems headquarters as well as occasional organized acts of civil disobedience.[2]
Acquisitions and Mergers
Since 2000 ATK has grown significantly as a result of both internal expansion and a series of acquisitions, including:
- Thiokol Propulsion in April 2001. This made ATK the world's largest solid rocket motor company.
- The Sporting Equipment Group of Blount International, Inc. in December 2001. This acquisition made ATK the world's largest commercial ammunition manufacturing company.
- The ordnance business of The Boeing Company in May 2002.
- The assets of Science and Applied Technology, Inc. in October 2002.
- Composite Optics, Inc. in January 2003.
- Micro Craft and GASL in November 2003.
- Mission Research Corporation in March 2004.
- The PSI Group in September 2004.
- Swales Aerospace in June 2007.
- Federal Cartridge
- Eagle Industries in March 2009
- CCI/Speer
Divisions
ATK Armament Systems
Currently the largest ammunition manufacturing entity in the world with operating facilities throughout the US.[3]
- Headquarters in Clearfield, UT
- Mesa, Arizona
- Oroville, California
- Lewiston, Idaho
- Richmond, Indiana
- Anoka, Minnesota
- Independence, Missouri
- Clearfield, Utah
- Radford, Virginia
- Onalaska, Wisconsin
- Beavercreek, Ohio
ATK Missions Systems
- Headquarters in Baltimore, MD.
ATK Space Systems
Currently world's top producer of solid rocket propulsion systems.
- Headquarters in Magna, UT.
Corporate governance
Current members of the board of directors of Alliant Techsystems are: Daniel Murphy, Frances Cook, Martin C. Faga, Ronald Fogleman, Cynthia L. Lesher, Douglas L. Maine, Roman Martinez, Mark H. Ronald, Michael T. Smith, and William Van Dyke.
See also
References
- ^ Minneapolis-St.Paul StarTribune. 2009-06-16. Retrieved from <http://www.startribune.com/business/48193407.html?elr=KArks:DCiU1OiP:DiiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU> on 2009-08-24. (Archived by WebCite at <http://www.webcitation.org/5jHK39QN2>)
- ^ [1]
- ^ ATK. "Corporate Overview".
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