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Canada Bureau
UPDATE 5/24/2026
MISSION: CRITICAL ENERGY USE
AIRCO™, the NY start-up that first turned CO2 into vodka establishes U.S. Manufacturing Hub for Its Modular Fuel Production Systems with New Pennsylvania Facility that will manufacture AIRCO’s MAD Fuel System™, deployed to produce fuel on demand for remote and operationally constrained environments
“The modern energy system was built around a simple assumption: Fuel is produced in a few places and consumed everywhere else. Oil is extracted in one region, refined in another, and shipped thousands of miles through pipelines, canals, and maritime chokepoints before reaching the end user.
When that chain works, it is remarkably efficient. When it breaks, the effects ripple globally almost overnight. Today, an alternative is beginning to emerge. Across defense programs, industrial research labs, and energy startups, a new class of fuel systems is being developed that can produce synthetic fuels locally using carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and electricity — manufacturing fuel where it is needed rather than shipping it thousands of miles.
The nations and industries that develop that capability first will hold a different kind of strategic advantage. They won't need to control the oil. They'll simply be able to make the fuel.” –AIRCO's Blog Post,” The Next Energy Superpower Will Make Its Own Fuel"
NEW BRITAIN, PA (May 19th, 2026) —AIRCOTM (formerly Air Company), an industrial technology company developing advanced technologies for energy security and global resiliency, today announced a new manufacturing and integration facility in New Britain, Pennsylvania. Serving as AIRCO’s primary manufacturing base, the new hub allows AIRCO to scale domestic manufacturing of its power-to-liquid fuel production systems.
The facility will house the production of AIRCO’s modular synthetic fuel production systems, deployed to its government partners. By consolidating R&D, engineering, operations, and manufacturing into one campus, it positions AIRCO for growth and serves as the company’s primary hub for the development of new technologies.
AIRCO’s new-to-manufacture containerized units—the MAD (Mobile, Adaptable, and Dynamic) Fuel System™—produces fuel for jets and ground vehicles using extracted CO₂, eliminating the need for traditional fuel transport and resupply logistics. Backed by recent U.S. Air Force funding, the technology enhances national security and improves safety for fuel logistics personnel. These systems are designed for increasing levels of autonomy, with minimal on-site personnel over time.
"For over a century, fuel has been produced in centralized refineries and shipped around the world. We’re changing that,"said Gregory Constantine, Co-Founder and CEO of AIRCO. "This facility enables us to manufacture autonomous systems that produce fuel anywhere, on demand. It’s a fundamental shift from fuel as a commodity to fuel as infrastructure."
This builds on AIRCO’s momentum in the defense sector, including the recent STRATFI award from AFWERX (U.S. Department of the Air Force) to accelerate the MAD Fuel System™ and ongoing partnerships with aviation leaders like JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic. By integrating its AIRMADE™ fuel technology into modular platforms, AIRCO is creating flexible, mobile energy hubs that can adapt to different environments and resources while delivering consistent, high-quality fuel output.
About AIRCO
AIRCO™ (formerly Air Company) develops technologies that turn carbon dioxide (CO₂) into fuels and chemicals, advancing energy security across energy, defense, and space applications. The company focuses on decentralizing fuel and chemical production so energy can be made where it’s needed, reducing reliance on centralized infrastructure and fragile global supply chains.
AIRCO combines catalytic chemistry, systems engineering, and advanced manufacturing to deliver two complementary models: licensed process technologies and deployable production systems. Its proprietary AIRMADE™ technologies enable the production of high-demand synthetic fuels from CO₂ and hydrogen, with current applications focused on aviation and mission-critical energy use cases.
The company has commercial partnerships with airlines including JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic, amongst others. It has been awarded multiple government contracts, including with NASA and the United States Department of War’s Defense Innovation Unit. The company has received industry recognition through awards such as Time Best Inventions, Inc. Best in Business, Fast Company World Changing Ideas, and the XPrize for Carbon Removal.
Related:
THE NY START-UP THAT FIRST TURNED CO2 INTO VODKA IS NOW POWERING NATIONAL DEFENSE 5/18/2025
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