Northrop Grumman to expand Salt Lake factory

SALT LAKE CITY -- A defense contractor is expanding a Salt Lake City factory.

Northrop Grumman Corp. says the expansion is needed to satisfy demand for precision navigation systems for defense and commercial use.

Northrop says it will add 50,000 square feet of building space at a 225,000-square-foot factory on West North Temple Road.

The announcement was made by Paul Russell, a regional vice president for Northrop's Electronic Systems unit.

Northrop employs 750 engineers, factory workers and others at the plant.

A company spokeswoman says it doesn't expect a big increase in employment with the expansion, but that Northrop is often hiring and the work force has grown 20 percent since 2007.

Northrop Grumman has a defensive system division in Rolling Meadows.