Garden Grove Facility Community Updates

We are a global multi-technology leader in the aerospace industry. We serve over 90% of the world's aircraft and engine manufacturers, specializing in the development and delivery of cutting-edge aerostructures and engine systems.

At Garden Grove, GKN Aerospace manufactures advanced aerospace canopies, cabin windows, and flight deck windows for commercial and military aircraft as well as spacecraft. GKN manufactures the world-leading F-35 canopy and has produced more than 2 million cabin windows for the Boeing 737 and 787. Our high-clarity transparency windows also enabled the view from Artemis II space mission back to Earth. GKN Aerospace's facility has been part of the Garden Grove community for 60 years and today employs more than 500 people.

On Thursday afternoon, May 21, GKN Aerospace personnel noticed a storage tank containing methyl methacrylate (MMA), a chemical used in the manufacture of high-strength aerospace acrylic materials, was experiencing an increase in temperature. Action was taken immediately, and GKN began working closely with emergency response personnel.

As conditions evolved through Friday, May 22, the Orange County Fire Authority made the decision to issue mandatory evacuation orders for portions of the surrounding community to protect public safety while response operations continued. GKN brought in leading experts and worked around the clock with the Orange County Fire Authority, the U.S. EPA, and all relevant federal, state, and local agencies to address the issue.

GKN’s team of experts played a critical role in assessing the situation and confirming that the tank was not at risk. Evacuation orders were partially lifted on Monday, May 25, and lifted in full on Tuesday, May 26, by the relevant authorities, with the Orange County Fire Authority reporting that there was no risk to the public.

No. The incident was limited to a small area of the facility where MMA is stored for use in acrylic manufacturing. This corner of the facility is where the ongoing review is taking place. The rest of the plant’s operations – such as forming, lamination, machining, and assembly – were unaffected. These processes occur throughout the majority of the facility and involve using already-manufactured acrylic to form and finish transparencies.

Orange County Fire Authority confirmed there were no injuries to firefighters, employees, or civilians during the incident.

Methyl methacrylate, or MMA, is a chemical widely used in the manufacture of acrylic materials, coatings, composites, and specialty components, including aerospace applications. It is also commonly used for dental and medical purposes, including fillings and crowns, as well as in hip and knee replacements. Like many chemicals, MMA must be stored and managed within specific operating conditions. Facilities that handle MMA operate under extensive federal, state, and local safety and environmental regulations.

Employees working in parts of the facility unaffected by the incident have been back at work for some time. Their work includes forming, lamination, machining, and assembly of transparencies.

GKN is targeting a phased resumption of operations over the days and weeks ahead, subject to all necessary permits, and working with relevant officials and experts. The gradual return to full production will be done with safety as GKN’s top priority and in accordance with the safety plan that has been filed with the Court.

No. We will use an entirely separate system from the tank involved in the incident (Tank #1).  The system that will be used will be enhanced, inspected, and certified as fit for service by industry-leading experts. The system will be equipped with additional monitoring devices to support ongoing safe operations.  

Tank #1 will not be used again.

Analyses are underway to understand what happened, and why. At the time of the incident, GKN immediately engaged leading experts to assess the situation and support response efforts. Those experts, along with others, are continuing to review the incident.

On October 12, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office filed in court the necessary documents to initiate the process of resolving the civil investigation regarding the May incident. The proposed resolution includes a claims program of up to $100 million for affected residents and businesses seeking to resolve claims for damages incurred in connection with the May evacuation order. 

GKN has completed the preparatory work necessary to launch the claims program. Under the proposed program, residents and households who lived within the evacuation zone and did evacuate, as well as eligible businesses affected by the evacuation, would be able to submit claims for qualifying losses due to the evacuation. These include claims for hotel stays, meals, transportation, loss of wages, and loss of use for eligible residents, and business interruption losses for eligible businesses.  

Contingent upon Court approval, GKN would open the claims program for submissions within days. Under the proposed program, online and in-person support would be available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean. Payments for eligible claims would begin following review and approval of submitted claims.

For more information, updates, and resources, please continue to check this website and/or sign up to receive updates.

Contingent upon Court approval, GKN would open the claims program within days.

Final eligibility and documentation requirements will be announced when the claims program opens for submissions. In the meantime, please keep receipts related to evacuation expenses, lost wages, and/or loss of use. Additional guidance on acceptable documentation will be provided when the program opens.

Yes. We will also hold a community event on October 27, at which the community will have an opportunity to interact with GKN and learn more about the claims program. Further details will be announced in the days leading up to the event.

In addition to the upcoming claims program, in early June GKN funded Orange County United Way’s OC Community Resilience Fund in the amount of $3 million to provide assistance to those affected by the evacuation and committed an additional $1 million to support broader community initiatives across Orange County. These funds followed our earlier $1 million funding to the American Red Cross to support residents directly impacted by evacuation orders when those orders were in effect.

For more information, updates, and resources, please continue to check this website and/or sign up to receive updates.

Yes. The OC Community Resilience Fund and the claims program are unrelated.

The OC Community Resilience Fund was created to provide coordinated support for residents affected by the incident and intended to help those facing short-term recovery-related needs. It was funded by GKN Aerospace and administered by the United Way.

It is not linked to the claims program, which will provide up to $100 million for eligible residents and businesses seeking to resolve claims for damages incurred in connection with the May evacuation order. 

Multiple putative class action and individual proceedings making claims related to the May evacuation have been filed in Orange County Superior Court and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. All complaints filed to date can be found here. The complaints include the case names and numbers, plaintiffs' counsel's names and contact information, the filing court(s) and the presiding judge(s), if available, and information about membership in the putative class. An explanation of the legal effect of participating in the claims program will be provided before any claims program is launched.

Additional information and resources for residents and local businesses affected by the incident are also available at the bottom of the homepage.

We encourage you to review the resources available through your city, as well as Orange County’s incident page.