A manufacturing operation that provides treated wood products, such as fence panels and decking, and industrial products, such as pallets, crates and other components for retail and industrial customers, will be using some of the space at the Salina Airport that had been occupied by Hawker Beechcraft.

UFP Harrisonville, LLC & Universal Forest Products headquartered in Grand Rapids Michigan will be using 15,000 square feet of building 620 at the Airport and hope to begin in Salina in early April.

Chuck Krawczak, Vice President of Operations says the Salina operation will be shipping crates and pallets to industrial clients in the region.

Over the next 12 to 18 months they expect to bring 5 to 18 jobs to Salina.

Salina Airport Authority Executive Director Tim Rogers says UFP is a blue chip operation, and is a great company to begin filling the space once occupied by Hawker-Beechcraft.

Founded in 1955, Universal Forest Products, reported sales of more than $1.8 billion dollars for 2011.

The lease of the space calls for a rental of $3,750 a month.