Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, has announced a $200 million investment to expand the capabilities and industrial footprint of its operations in Columbus, Georgia. This complex serves as a critical hub for both commercial and military engine programs.
A Strategic Boost for Critical Components
The centerpiece of this new growth phase is the addition of a seventh isothermal press at the Columbus Forge facility. According to the company, this expansion will enable a 30% increase in the production of critical components. These include:
- Rotary compressor and turbine disks, which are essential for the GTF, F135, and other engine programs.
- The new press is scheduled to begin operations in 2028, solidifying Columbus as one of the company’s most significant industrial centers in the United States.
Columbus: A Strategic Campus for Commercial and Military Engines
Located approximately 90 miles south of Atlanta, Pratt & Whitney’s Columbus site consists of two major units:
- Columbus Engine Center: This center performs maintenance and overhaul for GTF engines powering the Airbus A320neo family, the Airbus A220, and Embraer E-Jets E2. It also provides support for military engines, including the F117 (powering the C-17 transport) and the F100 (used in F-15 and F-16 fighters).
- Columbus Forge: This forging facility produces compressor blades, as well as compressor and turbine disks for the company’s commercial and military engines. This includes the GTF and the F135, the latter being the powerplant for the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighter.
With the addition of the new isothermal press, the production capacity for these critical parts will increase significantly. This comes amid sustained growth in both the single-aisle commercial market and defense programs.
Investment Continuity Following GTF MRO Expansion
This announcement follows closely on the heels of Pratt & Whitney completing an 81,000-square-foot expansion at the Columbus Engine Center. That project was designed to strengthen its Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) network for the GTF.
That previous expansion, representing an additional $70 million investment, incorporated advanced equipment aligned with the company’s Industry 4.0 strategy. As a result:
- The facility’s annual capacity increased by more than 25%.
- It added critical overhaul volume to the global GTF network to support a growing fleet.
Over $1 Billion Invested Since 2008
Shane Eddy, President of Pratt & Whitney, stated that the company’s presence in Georgia has evolved over four decades. It has transformed from a small manufacturing facility into a state-of-the-art manufacturing and overhaul hub.
Since 2008, the company has invested more than $1 billion to expand the footprint and capabilities of the Columbus complex, which currently employs over 2,600 people. Eddy emphasized that the new investment addresses the need to increase industrial capacity to keep pace with the growth of military and commercial programs.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp described the decision as a testament to the strength of the state’s industrial environment and the significant impact of the aerospace industry at the state level.
GTF and F135: Engines with a Global Presence
The impact of this expansion is underscored by the importance of the programs the plant supplies:
- The GTF is the most fuel-efficient engine in the single-aisle segment. To date, more than 2,600 GTF-powered aircraft have been delivered to over 90 customers worldwide.
- The F135, which powers all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II, is the company’s most advanced combat engine. Pratt & Whitney has delivered over 1,300 production F135 engines to a global network that includes 20 allied nations.
With the new press operational in 2028, Pratt & Whitney bolsters its responsiveness to growing fleets and defense programs while consolidating a long-term investment in advanced industrial infrastructure in Georgia.
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