Will Be Adjacent To An Existing GE Machining Plant In Asheville

GE Aviation has announced plans to break ground on a new parts manufacturing plant in Asheville, NC later this year. The new facility will be adjacent to an existing machining plant owned by GE.

Bloomberg Business Week reports that the new plant will make engine components from advanced ceramic matrix composite materials. The company said it is part of a broad commitment to invest $195 million in the state over the next four years.

The company is waiting to receive approval for an incentive package from the state.

GE Aviation president and CEO David Joyce said that the plant would be the first factory to mass-produce the CMC components. "We believe the future Asheville plant will be on the ground floor of a new technology that will change aviation," he said.

Hiring is expected to begin as early as next year, with the factory eventually employing 340 people. The company will partner with a local community college to establish a training program which would allow current employees to update their skills, as well as train prospective employees in a "hands-on" environment.

FMI: www.geaviation.com