GE Aerospace has announced plans to invest nearly $1 billion in its U.S. manufacturing operations this year, a move aimed at expanding production capacity, strengthening the supply chain, and advancing new aerospace technologies.
The investment, which nearly doubles the company’s commitment from the previous year, will bring new jobs to more than two dozen communities across 16 states, including hiring approximately 5,000 workers in manufacturing and engineering roles, the company said in an announcement on March 12.
H. Lawrence Culp Jr., chairman and CEO of GE Aerospace, emphasized in the announcement the importance of manufacturing investment for the company and the broader aerospace industry.
“Investing in manufacturing and innovation is more critical than ever for the future of our industry and the communities where we operate,” Culp said. “We are committed to helping our customers modernize and expand their fleets while scaling technologies that will truly define the future of flight. Together, this will keep the United States at the forefront of aerospace leadership.”
The investment will be allocated to various initiatives, including $500 million for expanding production capacity to improve quality and delivery, particularly for the narrowbody CFM LEAP engine.
Key projects include $113 million in Greater Cincinnati for facility upgrades and new equipment for commercial and military engine production; $70 million in Muskegon, Michigan, for expanding production of engine components; $16 million in Durham, North Carolina, and $5 million in Lafayette, Indiana, for additional equipment to support commercial engine assembly; and $13 million in West Jefferson, North Carolina, to expand production capacity for key engine parts.
A $200 million investment will go toward military engine production, including sites in Lynn, Massachusetts, and Madisonville, Kentucky, to support the new T901 Black Hawk and Apache helicopter engine.
Another $100 million will be used to scale innovative materials and parts, including 3D printing and ceramic matrix composites, GE said in the announcement.
These technologies improve fuel efficiency and engine durability, the company said.
Other specific investments include $51 million in Auburn, Alabama, for additional 3D printing equipment; $22 million in Huntsville, Alabama, for expanding ceramic matrix composite material production; $20 million in Asheville, North Carolina, for advanced equipment to shape metal parts and inspect ceramic matrix composite components; $14 million in West Chester, Ohio, for industrial furnaces and 3D printing expansion; and $11 million in Batesville, Mississippi, for precision measuring tools and inspection technology.
In addition, more than $100 million will be invested in GE Aerospace’s external supplier base to enhance quality and reduce supply chain bottlenecks.
The hiring push follows GE Aerospace’s addition of more than 900 engineers and 1,000 manufacturing workers last year.
GE Aerospace engines, including those produced in partnership with Safran Aircraft Engines under the CFM International joint venture, power a significant portion of the world’s commercial and military aircraft.
