ODON, Indiana -- Focused on growing its $17 million defense contract base, Raydar & Associates added 10 new positions in 2009 to its 220 employee group and is preparing for expansion in the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park, according to Mark Roberts, CEO.

Founded in 1997 with four employees, Raydar provides engineering, logistics, technical and administrative support for the $2 billion Naval Support Activity (NSA) and Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane Division.

"NSWC Crane has committed itself to contract service growth and we're prepared to match that growth with expanded resources," said Roberts.

The company presently employs more than 220 professionals in three buildings totaling more than 46,000 sq. ft. in the WestGate tech park and is planning on a new building in the park to accommodate growth "within the next year or so," Roberts continued. "Our production facility is constantly undergoing renovations and expansion to meet growing Department of Defense growth needs."

"Raydar's continued growth demonstrates the vibrant nature of Indiana's commercial and military defense sector, and shows how the WestGate tech park is integral to the expanding platform of defense-related facilities in the state," said Jason Lovell, director of the Indiana Office of Defense Development. "As we continue to link these companies together, we expect to see continued growth and leveraging of our expanding defense technology assets statewide."

"Raydar has long provided critical services for the Crane Navy operations both here and abroad, and we're pleased to have them as part of our growing defense company network in the WestGate park," said Gene Shaw, president of the WestGate @ Crane Authority.

The veteran-owned small business prides itself on providing high-quality work with a low overhead. "Raydar's best assets are the highly-motivated, talented professionals who comprise this organization," Roberts said. "We are small, nimble and intense, enabling us to immediately adapt to our clients' changing tactical needs. At the same time, our lean operation allows us to deliver exceptional value to our clients, whether within the Department of Defense or regional commercial operations."

Raydar offers specialized certified services to its defense and commercial clients, including a SSPC-certified media blasting and painting facility and a full-service chemical conversion work center. The high-spectrum antenna and electronic equipment that Raydar builds and services must operate in harsh salt-water weather environments, which requires high-end protection.

Technology professionals and engineers based in the southeast Indiana facility also travel to U.S.-based shipyards and U.S. naval vessels stationed around the world to upgrade and repair components. "Our technical team members have worked on ships and naval facilities in Saudi Arabia, Japan, Germany, Italy and elsewhere," said Roberts. "We'll go anywhere where we're needed."

Raydar directly serves the nearby NSA/NSWC facility with updated training for Crane employees in IPC solder and rework training and provides commercial services for heavy repair and special coatings for commercial equipment based in the region. Raydar's rapid growth has not gone unnoticed in the Hoosier state, as the company won top award recognition for three straight years (2002-2004) from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business Growth 100 award program, which recognizes top-performing companies in Indiana.

"Serving Department of Defense contracts is a tough business to be in, and we're grateful we've done well with great employees," Roberts said. "Now we're looking for more growth, which will be good for the Crane region and for the WestGate." Since the park's inception, defense and technology companies have created approximately 275 new jobs at the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park, bringing total WestGate employment to about 500.

About WestGate@Crane Technology Park
Qualified as a state Certified Technology Park (CTP) by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park represents a natural marketplace for defense contractors currently providing technical support and research and development services to the base. EG&G, a subsidiary of the $2 billion URS corporation, and SAIC, the nation’s 7th largest defense contractor, in addition to Raydar & Associates, Novonics, ML Enterprises, NAVMAR and STIMULUS Engineering, already maintain operations in the park. For more information, please visit www.westgatecrane.com.