Marine & aviation technology partnership

Upper Peninsula companies are joining forces to help the shipbuilding and aviation sectors become more green.

Seven U.P. marine and aerospace companies have joined the new Delta Green Integrator.

The group intends to make lighter, more durable parts and components for ships and aircraft.

Delta Green is about two and a half years in the making.

Aaron Kadish of the Oldenburg Group in Kingsford says it’s exciting to work with other Upper Peninsula companies, saying building the workforce in the U.P. makes them better.

Delta Green is based at the Delta County Airport in Escanaba.

It will begin with marine technology and will expand into aerospace later.

Delta Green will start meeting with shipbuilders in february.

Delta County Airport assistant manager Kelly Smith says she expects that at least some of the companies in the group will work on both marine and aerospace projects.

She says the group is writing an application right now for a grant that, if approved, will pay for an aerospace incubator building at the airport.

The member companies hope Delta Green will help them add new jobs, and officials at the Delta County Airport hope the project will help the airport become more self–sufficient.