JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI -- General Electric Company (GE) has teamed with the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) to pursue the establishment of a jet engine component facility in Mississippi.
GE - Aviation, a GE operating unit based in Cincinnati, Ohio, is a leading manufacturer of jet engines for civil and military aircraft. An agreement between GE and the MDA calls for GE to pursue the fabrication of advanced composite jet engine components in Mississippi.
"For 30 years, GE has advanced the use of composites in jet engines," said David Calhoun, GE Vice Chairman. "We are very pleased to work with state and development leaders to bring this advanced technology facility to Mississippi."
During 2006-2007, GE will create an incubator program with the Mississippi State University (MSU) College of Engineering. There, GE will work with the MDA and MSU to demonstrate the necessary capabilities for producing composite components for commercial and military jet engines.
Upon successful completion of this phase, GE will establish a production facility in Mississippi. GE and MDA are evaluating potential sites in Mississippi. The facility is anticipated to open in the 2007-2008 time frame and is expected to employ approximately 200 people at full rate production.
GE develops and produces the most advanced composite components in jet engines, which provide greater durability and valuable weight savings. GE introduced the first composite fan blades in jet travel in 1995 with its GE90 engine on the Boeing 777. The GEnx, a new GE engine under development to enter service in 2008, will be the only jet engine with both composite fan blades and a composite fan case. Composite components are also in GE's advanced military engines.
Due to the great sales success of the GE90 and GEnx engines, the production of GE's composite components is growing. The Mississippi facility is expected to produce composite fan blade platforms (made of carbon fiber and epoxy resin) for the GEnx engine. These platforms are installed in between the front fan blades at the base of the blades.
The Mississippi facility will also produce composite components for GE military engines, including components for the F136 engine for the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter program.
GE - Aviation generated revenues of $11.9 billion in 2005. The company also has the largest and fastest-growing installed base of jet engines in commercial aviation and a global services network to support them.
GE - Aviation employs approximately 24,000 people and operates more than 20 manufacturing and service facilities around the world. Engine assembly is performed at the Cincinnati, Ohio; Durham, North Carolina; and Lynn, Massachusetts; facilities. Engine overhaul, maintenance and on-wing support facilities are located in the U.S., Brazil, Wales, Scotland, England, Hungary, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Korea and China.
The company invests $1 billion annually in jet propulsion R&D programs. This long tradition of commitment to new technology has helped GE establish its leadership position in the industry with a proud list of "firsts" in both the military and commercial jet propulsion, tracing back to 1942 with America's first jet engine.