GE Aerospace Investing $1 Billion to Expand and Upgrade MRO Facilities
GE Aerospace announced plans to invest more than $1 billion over five years in its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and component repair facilities worldwide.
These investments will help GE Aerospace meet growth in the widebody and narrowbody installed base by adding additional engine test cells and equipment. The funding also will add cutting-edge technology, including enhanced inspection techniques, to reduce turnaround times and expand component repair capability within its overhaul shops.
GE Aerospace President and CEO, Commercial Engines and Services, Russell Stokes said, “Our customers are experiencing strong air travel demand, and we are investing to increase our capacity and efficiency so we can meet their growing needs and keep their planes flying safely and reliably. With this major investment, we are reinforcing our longstanding focus on safety, quality, and delivery for our customers and the flying public.”
The largest portion of the investment will support growing demand for CFM LEAP engines as the fleet continues to mature and expand with more than 3,300 LEAP-powered aircraft in service and more than 10,000 additional engines currently in the backlog.
Many of these investments are being made as the result of employees working to improve safety, quality, delivery and cost through FLIGHT DECK, GE Aerospace’s proprietary lean operating model.
A major part of the MRO funding this year provides for construction of a new Services Technology Acceleration Center (STAC) near Cincinnati, Ohio. Opening in September 2024, STAC will help accelerate the deployment of services approaches, including inspection technologies that detect emerging issues sooner and reduce airplane downtime.
In total, GE Aerospace regional repair and overhaul facilities across the globe will receive $250 million in 2024 of the $1 billion planned five-year investment to help fund facilities expansion, new machines, tooling and safety enhancements, including:
- United States: ~$65M
- Cincinnati, Ohio; McAllen, Texas; Lafayette, Indiana; Dallas, Texas; Winfield, Kansas
- South America: ~$55M
- Petropolis, Brazil
- Europe and Middle East: ~$60M
- Budapest, Hungary; Prestwick, Scotland; London, England; Cardiff, Wales; Wroclaw, Poland; Doha, Qatar; Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Asia Pacific: ~$45M
- Singapore; Taipei, Taiwan; Kuala Lumpur Malaysia; Seoul, South Korea
GE Aerospace’s MRO facilities service more than 40,000 commercial aircraft engines, and services include engine disassembly and reassembly, maintenance, repair, inspection and testing.