The move comes just one month after the defense firm celebrated its 10 year anniversary. DEC has grown significantly since its inception, expanding from one employee to 25 over the last decade.
The firm was also ranked on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing company’s for three years in a row, from 2014 to 2016. The company grew its revenue by 241 percent in that time, according to the listing.
Eight of the company’s employees will move into the new headquarters, with the rest staying at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The defense firm works primarily with the Air Force Research Laboratory at the base, which is why most employees are staying put.
DEC president Jim Utt said the larger facility will allow the firm to operate more efficiently, and will provide increased flexibility for a company that is expanding.
“We’re a growing company, but we’re also a changing company,” Utt said. “Our engineering services business is expanding, so we needed space that’s better suited for that. We also wanted to make the change from renting to owning, so hopefully this will be a good longterm strategy for us.”
Utt added the firm has outgrown its current space, which the company expanded almost four years ago. At that time, DEC added 1,900 square feet, an increase of about 50 percent from its former capacity. By purchasing the building instead of leasing, Utt said the company is committing to staying in the Dayton area for the long haul.
“It’s been a good 10 years in the Dayton community, and we’re looking forward to the next 10,” he said.
DEC specializes in advanced sensor and processing technologies for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), Unmanned Systems, and Self-Protection applications for the defense industry.
The company has been ranked by the Dayton Business Journal as one of the best places to work for the last three years.
