News

Montana Precision Products (MPP), the aerospace manufacturing company in Butte, Montana, has recently added 56,000 square feet to its facility, to reach 97,000 square feet of manufacturing space. In addition to adding capacity for existing products lines such as investment castings and tube/duct assemblies, this expansion enables MPP to launch a new flex joints product line. Flex joints are cylindrical-shaped metal hardware designed to absorb movements from thermal expansion and vibrations in tube/ducting systems installed into various engines and aircraft. Maria Skonord, Human Resources Leader for MPP, said MPP intends to grow its workforce by approximately 15% in 2022, adding more than 30 new positions this year, and even more in 2023. Current openings include Manufacturing Engineer, Machine Operators (including laser, plasma and resistance welding), Production Specialists, Production Technicians, and TIG Welders. MPP offers two shifts for employees, as well as four-day, ten-hour per day work weeks.
“Working on flex joints has been a challenging but rewarding experience. I enjoyed witnessing a new product line come to life,” said Shelby Kinsey, one of MPP’s Quality Engineers. “I’m fortunate to oversee the assignment from a technical side and implement inspections while working with such devoted individuals that have the same outcome in mind and are dedicated to producing critical hardware.” “We’re tremendously proud of MPP’s efforts to build this new bellows and flex joints line,” said Ty Ueland, Chairman of the Board of Directors for MPP. “It’s a significant engineering and
operational achievement. This capability augments MPP’s key role in the international aerospace supply chain, and we couldn’t be more excited for the future of MPP and the team there.”
Montana Precision Products, a joint venture between SeaCast, Inc. and GE Aviation, was founded in 2012 and currently employs about 190 people. MPP specializes in welded tube/duct assemblies and structural castings for aerospace and commercial applications.

The team at Montana Precision Products is pleased to announce that Sam Black has been hired as General Manager of our site. In this role, Sam will be responsible for the wellbeing and engagement of our MPP site employees, as well as systematic implementation and execution of our business strategy through continuous improvement, embedding Safety & Quality culture, and driving production excellence. Sam will partner with the Board of Directors to ensure financial health of the joint venture. Sam’s humility, servant leadership, and process driven approach to problem solving were some of his key traits that made him a top contender for the role.

Sam joined GE Aviation in 2017 at the Huntsville, AL site, bringing with him over 20 years of international experience in industry segments such as Petrochemicals, Chemicals, Fibers, and Nuclear Power. His role in Huntsville was to lead the work of transferring manufacturing methods and technology for producing silicon carbide fiber from NGS Advanced Fibers Co., Ltd. in Toyama, Japan. Sam transitioned from the Huntsville, AL site to MPP in Butte, MT in December of 2021 to be MPP’s Interim Site Leader.

Sam holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Mississippi State University and
will complete his Executive Master of Business Administration degree in a few months. He is a certified
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and is a former Chairman of the Plant Engineering and Maintenance Division
of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Outside of work Sam enjoys spending time with his family – wife Donna (Accountant) and sons Sean (Mechanical Engineer) and Trenton (Aerospace Engineer.) They especially like spending time on Smith
Lake in Alabama, trout fishing on the White River in Arkansas, and snow skiing in Montana. Sam and his
wife will be relocating to the Butte area over the coming months.