Maryland Governor Marks Smiths Detection’s High-Tech Contributions to Local Economy

Smiths Detection today announces Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley will participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, September 30, at its Edgewood, Md., facility, recently expanded to support research, development and manufacturing of its leading security solutions.

Gov. O’Malley will commemorate Smiths Detection’s support of federal and military threat detection needs, and speak about how its presence in Maryland contributes to the local economy, including safeguarding jobs in the fields of technology and innovation. He will also speak about the positive impact the U.S. military has on the Maryland economy.

Tim Picciotti, Vice President, Americas, Smiths Detection, said: “It is an honor to have the Governor visit our facility and acknowledge our contributions to the Maryland economy and to national technology leadership. We are proud of our dedicated local employees and their expertise and commitment to creating the most advanced X-ray and leading chemical detection technology available in order to protect lives.”

The Edgewood facility is Smiths Detection’s largest fully integrated and government-certified site in the U.S. It supplies the Department of Defense (DoD) with its lightweight Joint Chemical Agent Detector (JCAD) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) with multiple advanced X-ray checkpoint scanners, among other technology.

Sal Cipres, Edgewood Facility General Manager, Smiths Detection said: “Smiths Detection has a 50-year history of supplying solutions to the DoD and federal agencies. We have invested over $6 million in this expansion, directly supporting several Maryland companies. This latest expansion takes the plant from 87,000 to 145,000 square feet and positions us for further growth.”

The Edgewood facility’s 215-person workforce, 87 percent of which are Maryland residents, has grown by more than 40 percent over the expansion period. Smiths Detection’s other main U.S. sites are located in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Virginia. The company is part of the global Smiths Group which employs more than 9,000 people in the U.S. and in over 40 states, its biggest market.

Smiths Detection (www.smithsdetection.com) designs and makes advanced solutions to detect and identify threats including explosives, chemical agents, biohazards, nuclear, radiation, narcotics, weapons and contraband. A market leader worldwide in providing layered security technologies, Smiths Detection has plants in eight U.S. states. It partners federal and state government agencies and first responders to strengthen homeland security and safeguard the military. Major customers include the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It is part of Smiths Group (www.smiths.com), a global leader in the practical application of advanced technologies. Smiths Group employs around 23,000 people, including more than 9,000 in the U.S. where it operates around 100 sites in 40 states. For more information on its U.S. operations: U.S. Fact Book.