Having put forth a $450-million capital spending program for its U.S. manufacturing operations, GE Aerospace has outlined a further $70 million for new and updated capabilities at locations across Europe in support of its commercial aircraft engine programs. The company – which will comprise the core of the General Electric enterprise after the pending spin-off of the group’s renewable energy businesses – confirmed that the investments will be implemented during 2024 and aid in its capacity expansion efforts, targeting an extensive backlog of orders for CFM LEAP and GE9X engines.
GE manufactures the LEAP engines developed by its joint venture, CFM International. LEAP engines are installed in both the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo narrow-body jets, the two highest-selling aircraft now in service. Together, Boeing and Airbus have order backlogs totaling about 10,000 aircraft for those twin-engine aircraft, to be delivered over the next decade.
“These investments will put more efficient engines in airline fleets today and help us bring online the next generation of engines and technologies needed to achieve our 2050 net-zero ambition,” stated GE’s Riccardo Procacci, president and CEO of propulsion and additive technologies. “This investment is part of the next chapter of GE Aerospace and our work to invent the future of flight, and we look forward to building a strong one in Europe.”
Among the projects covered by the investments, $47.9 million is destined for various locations in Italy, to install new and upgraded test cells, new tooling and equipment, and upgrades to buildings for production of narrow and widebody commercial aircraft engines, as well as military aircraft engines.
Other planned investments include a $6.8-million agenda for new equipment and tooling, plus building upgrades for engine production in in Prague, Czech Republic; $3.7 million for new and upgraded machinery for narrow-body aircraft production in Bucharest, Romania; $10.3 million at several sites in Poland for new equipment and tooling, new test cells, and building upgrades to support narrow-body and wide-body aircraft engine production; and $2.1 million for new machines and tooling in Gloucester, England.
As with the U.S. investment program, GE also added that it plans to increase its workforce by about 300 in the region.
