STILLWATER, Okla. — Meridian Technology Center’s ability to train industrial workers probably did more to sway a Belgian aircraft component designer and manufacturer to locate in Stillwater than federal and state tax incentives.

State Rep. Cory Williams said Monday ASCO Industries officials said they valued a well-trained workforce more than financial incentives during negotiations to bring the industry to Stillwater.

ASCO Industries bought the former MerCruiser plant on Perkins Road. The privately owned aerospace company will renovate the 715,000 square-foot facility and eventually employ 500 to 600 people. It is ASCO’s first production facility in the United States. The Stillwater subsidiary will be called ASCO Aerospace.

ASCO Industries has a design subsidiary in Washington state.

“When we sat down at the table with them,” the Stillwater Democrat said, “economic incentives were talked about, but their primary concern was a highly skilled, educated workforce.”

Oklahoma’s Department of Careers and Technology (CareerTech) through its Meridian Technology Center in Stillwater provides training support for several Stillwater industries, including Armstrong flooring.

Meridian Technology Center told ASCO Industries officials the school could provide initial and continuing training for its employees, Superintendent/CEO Doug Major said.

Major likened his discussions with ASCO officials to a job interview. He explained the services the school could offer. He said he also provided a list of references.

“They wanted to be assured that we could deliver on our promises of workforce training and that the workforce exists,” Major said.

ASCO looked at other sites in Oklahoma as well as other areas of the United States, but Major said he always felt Stillwater had a great chance to land the aerospace company.

“It was never a given,” Major said. “We were pretty confident that it wouldn’t be a workforce issue if they didn’t come to Stillwater. We were 80 percent hopeful from the beginning because we know what our workforce is and what their abilities are.”

Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb said the core of any job expansion or relocation is education — how well is the workforce educated and trained.

Meridian Technology Center will be able to train ASCO’s employees quickly and retrain them if their business changes.

“Other states want to emulate what we do with CareerTech because we do it better than anybody else,” Lamb said.

Meridian Technology will work with ASCO officials to develop specialized training, Major said. Pre-employment training will be conducted at Meridian Technology while the former MerCruiser plant undergoes renovation. Once renovations are complete, some training could be done at the ASCO Aerospace facility.

“They shouldn’t have to have an internal training department,” Major said. “They should be able to look to us as that resource.”

Meridian Technology will need to hire adjunct professors for some specialized training, Major said. It also may fill some training needs by coordinating with the 28 other technology centers in Oklahoma.

“We will be ready to help them in any way that we can,” Major said.