Strategic Alliance Adds Jobs in Charleston

Butler International, a provider of tech outsourcing services, will create an international design center here through a strategic alliance with the Mid-Atlantic Technology, Research and Innovation Center (MATRIC).

The full service engineering and design center will create more than 150 jobs in Charleston.

The partnership will enable Butler International and MATRIC, an independent, nonprofit corporation based in South Charleston, W.Va., to bring together their expertise and resources and optimally respond to market demands worldwide seeking engineering project services.

The combined capabilities of Butler and MATRIC will bring more value to customers across wider part of the lifecycle and open opportunities in additional industries.

"This business relationship will extend MATRIC’s R&D capabilities to Butler's customer base and enable Butler’s front-end involvement in higher-level customer projects and programs by providing higher value turnkey solutions" said Ed Kopko, chairman and CEO of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Butler International.

Keith Pauley, CEO of MATRIC said the partnership will compliment the two firms’ existing government and scientific research and development capabilities, enabling them to provide a full service delivery model to customers.

MATRIC started in 2004 and has 19 laboratories and 19,000 square feet of laboratory and office space in Dow Tech Park.

The center employs 83 scientists and engineers, including 31 Ph.D.-level researchers. In total, the center has completed $22.5 million in research since it began.

The center comprises five companies focusing on chemical and environmental technologies, health and life sciences and advanced engineering systems. Also, the center has facilitated the start-up of six manufacturing and service businesses.

In addition, MATRIC will receive $2 million in federal funds to start a homeland security data integration center.