Helitak Firefighting Equipment, a manufacturer of advanced aerial firefighting systems, is ramping up its second global production facility in Camarillo, California, with operations scaling month by month throughout 2026.
Previously serving as a service center and parts distribution hub for Helitak’s North American customers, the facility is now poised to begin production of its Sikorsky UH-60 Fire Tank (model number FT4500) this spring. Once complete, the Camarillo operation will mirror Helitak’s flagship manufacturing facility in Queensland, Australia.
“Over the last five years, we’ve grown from 12 to more than 60 staff worldwide, and we continue to expand as a strategic response to increasing demand for the FT4500 system,” said Helitak U.S. sales executive Casey Zimmerman. “The FT4500 is already widely adopted among commercial firefighting operators. As the threat of wildfires continues to increase across the globe, we’ve seen exponential growth in demand for our innovative solutions. Opening a production facility in the U.S. demonstrates our commitment to excellence and is a logical next step in further supporting our valued North American operators.”
However, demand is not coming solely from operators. Helitak CEO Jason Schellaars explained that interest from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) is surging as well.
“Due to the success of our product in the field, we now have manufacturers approaching us, wanting an integrated solution for their customers,” he said. “We’ve gone from operators approaching us for a tank to OEMs selecting Helitak for the aerial firefighting solution they want to offer. We currently produce tanks for multiple platforms across all OEMs and are actively expanding these relationships. Continued collaboration and growing interest position this area for strong future development.”
Attendees at Verticon will be able to view the Ultimate First Responder — a purpose-built Black Hawk featuring an integrated Helitak system.
“It’s a proven UH-60L multi-mission emergency platform configured for firefighting, SAR, and hoist operations, delivering heavy-lift capability, rapid response, and unmatched reliability,” Schellaars said. “This configuration allows operators to replace multiple specialized assets with a single, highly capable aircraft.”
The platform is equipped with a Helitak FT4500 fire tank system, Genesys avionics suite, glass cockpit with four-axis autopilot, Onboard Talon MC cargo hook, rescue hoist, and a forward-mounted TrakkaBeam searchlight.
Manufacturing shorter lead times
Helitak is preparing to begin tank and bucket manufacturing in California, a move designed to better support customers across the U.S., Canada, and other countries in the western hemisphere.
“Camarillo is going to become the central base for supporting the entire region,” Zimmerman said. “We consider this milestone as a significant step forward in Helitak’s commitment to continually improving the customer experience.”
By bringing production to the U.S., Helitak enables North and South American firefighting operators to avoid lengthy international shipping timelines, reduce logistical costs, and receive faster delivery of mission-critical equipment — an increasingly important advantage as wildfire seasons grow longer and more severe.
Beyond manufacturing, the Camarillo facility already serves as a centralized hub for installations, technical support, factory-authorized repairs and overhauls, and parts for both Helitak tanks and buckets. The site includes a full machine shop, fabrication stations — including in-house welding, composites manufacturing, cutting, and assembly — as well as a paint booth and dedicated servicing stations.
“Above all, we aim to ensure our operators stay flying,” Schellaars said. “We will do an all-nighter to get you back into the fire fight, which no one else will do. The fire is not going to wait.”
Complete tank testing
To further support that goal, the Camarillo site also includes a full tank test facility.
“We already conduct annual testing for 65 percent of our customers, and we want to grow that,” Zimmerman said. “Our customers know their tank will be 100 percent serviceable at the start of the season. We can simulate both the pump and the tank controller in our test cell, so we have complete confidence that customers have full functionality.”
Downtime is costly for Helitak customers, he added — not only financially, but also in terms of reputation in the field and contractual commitments.
“We are laser focused on supporting our customers to the fullest degree, and we will do everything we can, in every circumstance, to prevent downtime,” Zimmerman said. “We are completely aligned with our customers in returning to the air, and we will do whatever it takes to make that happen.”
New market growth
The expansion into manufacturing at Helitak’s California operations base is about elevating responsiveness to an entirely new level, Schellaars explained.
“Producing tanks and buckets in North America enables us to provide direct, factory-level support where and when it’s needed most. With fire seasons intensifying, operators simply can’t afford delays.”
Schellaars added that Helitak’s solutions are also attracting strong interest in Europe, where recognition of the value of aerial firefighting continues to grow.
“With that interest, increased OEM engagement, and our new manufacturing facility coming online in California, we’re poised for a very exciting year,” he said. “The best is yet to come.”
This sponsored article was created by Insight magazine, the sponsored content division of MHM Publishing.
