Limco Airepair To Stay In Tulsa

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- A Tulsa company that was moving out of Oklahoma has decided to stay.  Limco Airepair decided that staying was less expensive than moving.  The company reversed course after telling employees in February their jobs were moving to North Carolina.

02/09/2009  Related Story:  Tulsa Company Moving To North Carolina

Every time a commercial jet takes off, every component on the plane is one step closer to needing maintenance.  That's a big factor in the workload at Tulsa's Limco Airepair.  The company builds and repairs air conditioning components for larger planes both commercial and for the military.

"Half of our business comes from commercial airlines and they're struggling, so business there has been steady, but certainly not growing," said Limco CEO Bob Koch.

CEO Bob Koch says the need to cut costs led the company to make the decision to move.  Concerns from their customers and the cost of moving convinced them to stay.

"We looked at those two issues and the other things associated with interrupting the business and the effect on the workforce and made the decision to remain in Tulsa," said Limco CEO Bob Koch.

The change in direction means Limco's 150 employees remain on the job in Tulsa.  Some new employees from North Carolina had already been hired for training and some will stay in Tulsa.

"It wasn't a contest.  It had the tendency to look that way, but it wasn't between Tulsa and North Carolina and we're glad to be staying," said Limco CEO Bob Koch.

Koch says with airlines cutting costs, his company may benefit from customers shopping for better deals.  He says the challenge now is not to move, but to move up.

"Get some business in here and keep her growing," said Limco CEO Bob Koch.

The company says the move would have cost about $2.5 million, but saved a half million dollars a year.  They'll still try to consolidate some office work to save money.