South Korea’s Intellian Technologies USA Inc. has opened its first U.S. manufacturing site in Irvine, where it’s making a key component for satellite communications systems.
The company makes a ground transmission terminal in the plant at 11 Studebaker, which has a 31,811-square-foot facility.
The company cited its “commitment to the U.S. government’s mission-critical objectives and supply chain resiliency” in announcing the manufacturing line.
“Within the U.S. Department of Defense, the message is clear: single-use and siloed technologies are not viable; dual-use technology is mandatory,” the company says.
The plant is under the direction of Jihye Hannah Shon, the managing director for the Americas who is based in Irvine.
Shon says the plant is designed for:
• Meeting the evolving needs of the company’s U.S. government clients.
• Enhanced supply chain security, ensuring compliance with country-of-origin regulations.
• Increased manufacturing capacity, complementing the company’s existing operations in Korea.
Terran, AstroForge
Intellian, which has 499 employees, 12 regional facilities and five logistics centers on three continents, is listed on the Korean Stock Exchange (KS: 189300). The company, which has about a USD $300 million market cap, reported sales in 2023 climbed 27% to USD $211.4 million.
Intellian joins other aerospace and defense companies with manufacturing sites in Orange County. They include satellite makers Terran Orbital (now part of Lockheed Martin) and ICEYE, spacecraft maker AstroForge as well as Anduril Industries and Mach Industries.
Intellian says it has implemented a meticulous supply chain control system that enhances national security and protects against supply chain disruptions.
The company is making a terminal called ARC-M4 Block 1 in Irvine.
“Our new ARC-M4 Block 1 line at our U.S. headquarters is Intellian’s first international production line, marking phase one of our expanding global capabilities,” said Eric Sung, CEO of Intellian Technologies.
Sung added: “These enhanced facilities meet the needs of our U.S. government customers while also reducing operational risk. Our on-going component-level supply chain system ensures that all components and parts are compliant with U.S. government sourcing requirements and restrictions.”
