Attracting manufacturers takes more than land. Arsenal matches your region's underutilized properties to defense demand, turning idle assets into jobs.
The defense industrial base is experiencing unprecedented demand growth. New contracts for shipbuilding, drone systems, munitions, advanced aerospace, and electronics are fueling demand for production capacity. Yet many regions—even those with purpose-built manufacturing infrastructure—are losing that capacity to regional competitors or watching it sit dormant.
The challenge: Brownfield facilities don't sell themselves. Property owners often lack connections to defense manufacturers. Economic development professionals know manufacturing demand exists, but lack a structured way to connect facility owners with the right tenants. The result: idle assets, lost tax revenue, and missed job creation.
The opportunity: Arsenal bridges this gap. We identify regional facilities that align with documented defense manufacturing demand, bring facility owners and manufacturers together, and coordinate the complex partnerships that move projects from planning to production.
When Arsenal succeeds, your region gains:
Arsenal was founded by James Schmeling, a retired Air Force officer with 25+ years in DoD procurement, backed by institutional capital and regional commitment.
Arsenal maintains direct relationships with defense primes, Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers, and procurement teams across the United States. We know where manufacturing demand exists, which sectors are growing (shipbuilding, munitions, advanced electronics, aerospace), and which regions are capturing that growth. Your region's facilities can be positioned into that demand—if matched correctly.
We don't recruit broadly. We identify specific manufacturer interests, understand their infrastructure requirements, and match them to regional properties that fit. This targeted approach means faster transaction velocity and higher success rates than traditional economic development outreach.
From facility assessment to environmental review to utility upgrades to compliance certification, Arsenal coordinates all moving pieces. Your team remains focused on community engagement, workforce development, and incentive structuring. We handle execution complexity.
When Arsenal successfully reactivates a facility in your region, the impact extends far beyond real estate. Consider this typical scenario:
Facility Profile: 150,000 sqft former automotive supplier facility, 40% occupied, deteriorating infrastructure, 15 years dormant
Arsenal's Role: Identify defense manufacturer interest (precision machining / aerospace supplier), coordinate facility assessment, manage infrastructure upgrades, handle compliance certification
You provide asset inventory and regional context (available facilities, workforce capabilities, transportation assets, incentive programs). Arsenal identifies which facilities align with current defense manufacturing demand and which sectors offer the strongest growth trajectory. We surface opportunities; you prioritize based on regional strategy.
Once opportunities are identified, Arsenal coordinates between facility owners, your office, and target manufacturers. We bring manufacturer requirements into the conversation, structure facility assessments, and navigate environmental/compliance pathways. You manage community engagement, incentive structures, and workforce planning.
When the facility is production-ready, your region gains a job-creating, tax-revenue-generating anchor tenant. Arsenal transitions to a supporting role; your region owns the outcome. For ongoing growth, Arsenal remains available as a strategic partner for additional facility reactivation.
Arsenal focuses on five primary regions where legacy defense manufacturing infrastructure meets current demand, skilled workforce availability, and strategic competitive advantage.
Arsenal maintains active pipelines in these five regions. We have deep relationships with property owners, facility assessments underway, and clear visibility into manufacturer demand. If your region aligns with these areas, we can accelerate the discovery process.
