Lockheed Martin is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Pinellas Park facility with the announcement of growing employment opportunities at its satellite site in Florida.

To celebrate its silver jubilee in Pinellas Park, Florida, the global security and aerospace company touted its commitment to growing job opportunities in the Sunshine State, forecasting that it will create at least 50 new jobs over the next two years.

“It truly is an exciting time to be at Pinellas Park,” said Lindsay Muth, Lockheed Martin Pinellas Park general manager. “We have a world-class team that produces world-class results; and that shows through our products and our culture. We’re proud to celebrate 25 years in Pinellas Park and look forward to continuously growing employment opportunities and partnering with our local community.”

Over the past 25 years, the Pinellas Park facility has become a Canopy Center of Excellence, building both production and sustainment canopies for F-35 and F-16 aircraft. They also work on parts and components for the F-35, F-16 and C-130J. The team is responsible for driving innovation, efficiency, and focus, while setting industry benchmarks in the manufacturing process by reducing build times by 50%.

Across Florida, Lockheed Martin operations employ about 14,400 people. In addition to the new jobs in Pinellas Park, Lockheed Martin recently announced an additional 500 jobs by the end of 2019 in Orlando. Work on the F-35 in Florida includes 97 businesses employing nearly 22,500 direct and indirect jobs.

“At Lockheed Martin, we’re driven by a sense of purpose and passion to shape the future and solve the world’s most difficult challenges,” said Nick Drazic, Operations vice president for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. “We bring that same passion and purpose to our communities, where our employees play an active role in strengthening the quality of life where we live and work.”