Pratt & Whitney expanding business in Columbus, Georgia

Pratt & Whitney will invest approximately US$386m in its Columbus, Georgia, facility to increase the production of parts and maintenance services and to reduce costs for new and existing engine programs. The investments will go toward the purchase of automated machinery and equipment upgrades and construction of two new buildings on the property. The building construction will include a 200,000-ft² facility to overhaul GTF engines. A 20,000-ft² specialized manufacturing facility and related infrastructure will also be built to house a new isothermal forge press that will be used to manufacture turbine disks and compressor rotors for Pratt & Whitney engines. Other upgrades to equipment and machinery are also planned. The Columbus Engine Center maintains PW1100G-JM, V2500, PW2000, F117 and F100 engines. Columbus Forge produces compressor airfoils and nickel and titanium forgings, which are machined into critical rotating components for Pratt & Whitney’s military and commercial engines. Both facilities are located on one campus about 90 miles south of Atlanta.