Jennifer Essigs’ Post

Wishing everyone a happy holiday weekend!

My last stop last week was with Carla Monti at AE Industrial Partners, LP's portfolio company Redwire Space's Longmont, CO locations. We met JJ Francis, MCR, Redwire's new Head of Facilities, who gave us an in-depth tour of both of the company's Longmont, Colorado locations. During the visit, we were able to view Redwire's anechoic chamber, where they test the range on the antennas that are sent into space as a part of a satellite payload, and toured the facility where the antennas are manufactured. We also saw other interesting space items, such as the material for the solar sails that propel space objects. In our time with the team, we learned about some of their programs and shared ideas, especially as they relate to AEI's sustainability theme of promoting occupational health and safety. Redwire had a KPA health and safety audit last year that they continue to benefit from through implementation of new programs. They are also focusing on culture with dedicated initiatives for employee engagement like TieDye Fridays (FriDye) and lunch and learns, where employees share information and insights with their colleagues at their Longmont location. Every site visit I complete yields invaluable findings on the amazing work happening across AEI's portfolio.  Thank you to JJ, Brenda Kloberdanz, Director of Programs, and Christopher Oesch, Vice President of Engineering, for sharing their knowledge and passion for Redwire with us. I look forward to collaborating on sustainability projects in the future.  #space #sustainability

Last week, I visited AE Industrial Partners, LP's portfolio company Columbia Helicopters and had the opportunity to tour their impressive facilities in Portland. During my visit, I was able to learn more about Columbia's focus on continuing to build their MRO and OEM business, watch their massive helicopters (CHI-234s) being built and flown, and see their paint booth with its top-notch filtration system. Christian Boatsman saved the most interesting innovation for last. Columbia recently built a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant. Can you guess what's bubbling behind me? Thank you Christian and Brett Baird for the tour, I really enjoyed meeting the new CEO David Balevic and the entire Columbia Helicopters team.

Last week, I headed to Arizona to visit AEI HorizonX portfolio company Solestial where I received a first-hand look at their self-repairing flexible space solar panels, which are an innovative and sustainable approach to powering space. I am excited to see Solestial's growth and progress as they expand their operations into a brand-new manufacturing space next door to their current facility. A big thank you to Andy Atherton and Manuel Rosenzweig for the comprehensive and informative tour. #Space #Innovation #Technology

Last week, Carla Monti, Tess Sprechman, and I had the pleasure of meeting Dan Fermon from AE Industrial Partners, LP portfolio company Firefly Aerospace for a tour of the company’s manufacturing facilities in Cedar Park, Texas. While there, we had the opportunity to see the #BlueGhost, #AlphaRocket, and #MirandaEngine in production! Following the tour, our #sustainability team including Levent Yungul of ESG Base met with Firefly leaders to discuss the wide range of sustainability initiatives they are considering, including energy audits, rainwater capture, and even honeybee farming on the land surrounding their testing sites. Many thanks to the whole Firefly team for their hospitality. Keep up the great work!