Upstart aircraft manufacturer JetZero Inc. will revamp its headquarters at Long Beach Airport in the coming months.
The company, which endeavors to bring to life to its “flying wing” commercial aircraft, houses its design center at the Long Beach headquarters. Following the renovations in Long Beach, the company also plans to upgrade its manufacturing facility in North Carolina.
Austin, Texas-based Mark Odom Studio, a subsidiary of Newport Beach design studio Cline Co., is handling the renovation of JetZero’s 32,000-square-foot headquarters.
“At JetZero, we view the workplace as a strategic engine for innovation – not just a container for it,” Dario Antonioni, the executive creative director for JetZero, said in a statement. “These spaces are intentionally crafted to accelerate decision-making, increase creative velocity, and reinforce a culture of ownership and pride.”
The revamped facility will sport a new modern aesthetic of workspaces surrounding the central hangar, with a view into that space. Movable walls and screens will allow JetZero teams to reconfigure conference rooms as necessary for their work.
“We worked closely with JetZero on this renovation plan, aligning with the team’s ambitious design goals and forward-looking vision,” said Jed Duhon, a principal with Mark Odom Studio. “Our approach embodies the company’s pioneering ingenuity and commitment to innovation, creating a new and inspiring hub for a growing staff and the company’s longstanding future.”
JetZero’s facility upgrades come on the heels of a series B funding round that landed $175 million for the company.
At the heart of JetZero is its Z4, an all-wing body commercial jet that purports to improve fuel efficiency by 50% thanks to the design facilitating less air drag while improving lift. The design also potentially allows for more passengers on a flight.
The timing is particularly auspicious, as the ongoing skirmishes between U.S. and Israeli forces with Iran and its proxies and resultant trade issues with petroleum out of the Middle East have spiked jet fuel prices in recent weeks.
While commercial operators have taken notice and offered funding – Alaska Airlines has placed an undisclosed order, while United Airlines has a deposit down for 200 – they’re not alone. The series B this year was included defense contractors and their affiliates, and the U.S. Air Force has also inked a $235 million deal to have a demonstrator aircraft delivered by next year.
All told, JetZero has more than $1 billion in commercial and public sector commitments.
Also in the works is the company’s manufacturing plant at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, which will reportedly employ about 14,500 when up and running.
“From Long Beach to Greensboro, we’re building a new model for how aerospace teams work together – one where the environment itself becomes a catalyst for breakthrough thinking and collaboration,” Antonioni said.