Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt will join in ceremonies Wednesday at the formal opening of the Baker Hughes General Electric Motor center of Excellence in Oklahoma City.
The center, located at 12,701 North Santa Fe Avenue is dedicated to advancing the performance, quality and reliability of downhole drilling motors, according to the company’s description of the manufacturing and technology center.
Baker Hughes even prepared a brief youtube video in advance of the opening ceremonies. The grand opening ceremony is scheduled at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The new Oklahoma City operation is the only site in the U.S. for Baker Hughes where high-tech robotics are incorporated as part of creating motors for oil and gas companies.
It was five years ago when the company announced plans to build the center where 475 jobs would be created. The company built the center with help of a jobs incentives application for $850,000 from the Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust.
The company said at the time that average first year salaries would be $51,660. It also indicated it intended to invest nearly $150 million on land, high tech robotics, machinery, inventory and new plants.
When the company announced plans to construct the plant, the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce estimated the economic impact in the first four years alone would be $299.6 million.