Things are Booming in Camden

At first glance, Camden, Arkansas, appears as just another charming small town. People still smile and greet you here, chat over coffee at the local cafe or wave as you drive along. It’s the kind of place you can immediately feel at home, enjoy a nice dinner out or just take in the local natural scenery.

But Camden is more than just good food and good brews (check out Native Dog Brewery while you’re there). It’s also one of the biggest manufacturing centers in Arkansas and a hub for the country’s aeronautics and defense industries.

And times, like the explosives being made here, are booming.

“We have multiple opportunities and openings available in the aerospace and defense industry,” said James Silliman, executive director for the Ouachita Partnership for Economic Development. “The companies have been here 40-plus years, and they continue to make investments in their facilities and equipment here, which means the job market here is very stable.

“Aerospace and defense industries provide well-paid, career-track positions to people of all skill levels. It’s a wonderful place to start and build a career.”

Camden’s history in the defense and aeronautics industry is a long one. Highland Industrial Park, the industrial district where many of the companies are located, began as Shumaker Naval Ammunition Depot during World War II. This provides the companies located here with ample production space as well as specialized facilities required for the manufacture and testing of ordnances.

For those who don’t know, an ordnance is anything our military men and women deploy that goes boom, such as hand grenades, missiles and various other tools for defeating terrorism and defending freedom around the world.

“Over time, we’ve evolved and been able to use the physical assets here in the park as far as facilities that are specially designed for manufacturing of ordnances as well as buildings where we can store ordnances safely,” said John Schaffitzel, president of Highland Industrial Park.

“We have 639 earth-covered storage bunkers in the park, and the manufacturing facilities are designed in a special way with structural concrete walls and really thick foundations. Those big, heavy-duty structural elements are the key element that we offer. We also own 18,780 acres of land, which is important. When you’re building ordnances, you want to be able to spread out and not be too close to one other.”

Skilled careers of all types are in heavy demand here, in companies of all sizes. Not only do global defense giants Aerojet Rocketdyne and Lockheed Martin operate here, but they are supported by dozens of smaller vendors located in Camden and nearby communities, all of which are in near-constant hiring mode. Companies work closely with the local college, Southern Arkansas University Tech, to help ensure training programs prepare students to excel in the workplace.

“It takes a whole mix of the workforce to make this place happen,” Schaffitzel said. “It takes all types of workers and skill sets. The key thing to know is advanced manufacturing now is different than what the old manufacturing line looked like, it’s much more high-tech than people think. And safety is priority number one for every one of these companies.”

Highland Industrial Park

Formerly

Shumaker Naval Ammunition Depot, the site was used by the U.S. Navy to develop, manufacture, test and store rockets from 1944 to 1957.

In 1968, the property became an industrial park and today, Highland Industrial Park is one of the largest of its kind in the United States, with 5.4 million square feet spread out among more than 1,000 buildings on 18,780 acres.

Now, 2,800 employees come to work here every day among the park’s 30 tenants. Such household names as Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Aerojet Rocketdyne and Armtec Defense all call the park home, as does Southern Arkansas University Tech.

Camden: Small-town vibe, big-city opportunity

TYRIS MORRIS

Inspector Senior, Lockheed Martin

Hometown: Camden Age: 25

Years with Lockheed Martin: 2.5

BLUEPRINT: When you started your career, what was the most surprising thing to you about the industry?

TYRIS MORRIS: I was surprised with the amount of technology that goes into the products that we build. We have semi-robotic processes, and we work with robots as well.

BP: Do you work in a team environment for the job you have now?

TM: I’m mixed because I work with a team of manufacturers that build the product, but then I have to go behind and make sure that they’re doing it right, and I’m the only one who does that.

I perform audits and do reports, I check the product that we build and make sure it is up to standard for our customer. I have to be very self-sufficient in what I do.

BP: What are some of the most important soft skills related to your job?

Acareer

isn’t all about where you work, it’s also about the quality of life where you live. Camden offers a slower pace, friendly people and loads of natural beauty and recreation to help you make the most of your off-time.

“If you enjoy small town life, Camden’s a good place to live,” said James Silliman, executive director for the Ouachita Partnership for Economic Development. “We have some nice amenities and restaurants and outdoor recreation. Hunting down in this part of the state is always a big recreational sport.”

With an extensive parks system and well-kept trails, outdoor activities are plentiful in this community. Several new businesses are breathing life into downtown spaces too, led by the award-winning Native Dog Brewery, which shares the community with one of the oldest continually operating eateries in Arkansas, the White House Cafe. While not the oldest restaurant in Arkansas, it is believed to hold the oldest liquor license in the state.

“Having moved here from a similar-sized town in Oklahoma, I can tell you Camden has the key things covered,” said John Schaffitzel, president of Highland Industrial Park. “You’ve got places you can go out to dinner. You’ve got places that you can go for entertainment or to watch college sporting events. The hospital system is a county-based hospital system, which is great. The basics that you need are here. It’s a great quality of life.”

Camden At A Glance

Population: 10,400

Median Home Value: $79,800

• Median Age: 36

• Median Household Income: $31,059

Median gross rent in 2019: $508 • Average Commute: 19 minutes

Cost of living index: 77.1 (low, U.S. average is 100)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, city-data.com

TM: You have to have good oral communication or business communications skills. You have to know how to talk to people in different circumstances. Another important skill to have, especially in the department that I’m in with inspection, you have to have a good eye for detail. You have to be very attentive to what you’re doing.

BP: Did you know what you wanted to do for a career when you were in high school?

TM: In high school I really didn’t know. I just knew that college was the norm so I went to school not knowing what I wanted to go to school for. I started working for another company out here and I was there for two years. Then I made the jump over to inspection for Lockheed Martin.

BP: Is there a lot of opportunity in the aerospace and defense industries?

TM: Oh my gosh, yes. There are a lot of jobs to be had here in southern Arkansas, more than people actually know. There’s a lot of defense plants here in the Highland Industrial Park. If you want to work here for a while and move, that’s also an opportunity that’s open for you, moving within the company.

The amount of money that you can make is good. Just because you’re in manufacturing does not mean you’re not making money.

BP: A lot of people think manufacturing and they think hot, dirty and dangerous. What’s the reality where you work?

TM: I’m inside all the time. When I got this job I said, “Do y’all have air conditioning in the building?” They were like, “Yes, there’s nothing to worry about.” So, yes, it’s inside and climate controlled. It’s good.