AKO Engineering, Inc., headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, is expanding its operations to the Price Corridor in Chandler.
AKO is an engineering firm that designs, supplies, supervises and installs electrical heat tracing (EHT) in thermal solar power projects. AKO is making this move in order to expand its technology, AKOTRACE in the electrical heat-tracing sector in the US market. This opening complements the company’s already existing subsidiaries in Mexico, Portugal and Italy.
AKO signed a lease for a 10-office suite in the Mammoth Equities Building in the Price Corridor, with plans to hire eleven employees in year one, expanding to 15 employees by year three with average salaries of $80,000. AKO is a supplier to Abengoa Solar and is actively pursuing additional projects in Arizona and Southern California.
This business location was part of the long term relationship-building efforts of the City of Chandler in partnership with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) as they worked with the Trade Commission of Spain.
“Having the opportunity to meet face-to-face is key to developing successful business relationships that result in new business locates,” said Vice-Mayor Jeff Weninger, who participated in the GPEC trade mission to DC as a delegate to the Spanish Embassy.
“Sustainable energy companies such as AKO are going to be a business driver for the future, which is why recruiting them to Chandler is one of our top economic development goals.”
“The expansion of AKO to the region and the quality, high-skill jobs the company is bringing to Chandler is evidence that our market remains a preferred location for the solar industry,” said Barry Broome, GPEC president and CEO. “We are pleased with AKO’s decision, which marks our fourth investment from a Spanish solar firm in the last few years. Clearly, our growing industry presence, pursuit of foreign direct investment and unified commitment to advancing solar and renewable energy is an effective combination.”
AKO took a holistic approach to choosing its business location, and cites Chandler’s high impact schools and quality of life as driving factors in their decision in addition to the opportunity to locate in the Price Corridor.
“The Price Corridor in Chandler offers us all we can ask for in the development of our business in Electrical Heat Tracing (EHT) in the thermo solar power plant industry,” said Rafael Delgado Quevedo, CEO, AKO.
“That includes proximity to customers and plants, good communications, potential for recruitment, and personal attention from the City of Chandler and GPEC in the implementation process, which is why we chose Chandler as AKO operational basis in Arizona and the Southwest.”
