Georgia – There is a new chapter for Pratt & Whitney in Columbus. State and company leaders came together to celebrate a milestone that had been reached and one that was just beginning.
Governor Brian P. Kemp said that RTX’s aerospace manufacturer will spend $200 million to grow its business in Columbus, Georgia. At first, the project is planned to create 15 new jobs, and as it grows, more jobs are likely to be added.
“Pratt & Whitney’s decision to invest in Georgia immediately after just completing another major expansion is an incredible testament to how companies that operate in our state find reliable, ongoing, and long-term success,” said Governor Brian Kemp.
“Throughout its more than forty years in Columbus, Pratt & Whitney has been a valued partner and driver of the impact our aerospace industry is delivering statewide. We’re grateful that this partnership will only continue to grow and flourish, benefiting this cutting-edge job creator, the people of Columbus, and all of Georgia.”
The news came at the same time that officials cut the ribbon on an expansion that was first announced in 2023. That earlier effort added over 400 jobs and made the Columbus Engine Center 81,000 square feet bigger. Kemp stood next to Pratt & Whitney President Shane Eddy and Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson and said that the two investments were a sign of the company’s long-term trust in Georgia.
Columbus has been home to Pratt & Whitney since 1984. The Columbus Engine Center and the Columbus Forge are both on Macon Road on the campus today. The Engine Center takes care of GTF™ engines that power the Airbus A320neo series, the Airbus A220, and the Embraer E-Jets E2. It also works with military platforms, like the F117 engine for the Boeing C-17 and the F100 engine that powers the F-15 and F-16 planes.
Teams at the neighboring forge plant make compressor airfoils and disks for compressors and turbines that are used in both commercial and military engines. The F135 engine is one of these. It powers all versions of the F-35 fighter plane.
The company’s officials indicated that the most recent $200 million investment will boost the manufacture of important parts for its growing commercial and defense operations. Pratt & Whitney has put more than $1 billion on its Columbus operations since 2008, turning the site into a major manufacturing and overhaul hub that employs about 2,600 people.
The new expansion is projected to be completed by 2028. State officials, such as those from the Georgia Department of Economic Development, collaborated with local partners like the Development Authority of Columbus and Georgia Power to get the competitive project.
The continuous investment shows that the plant continues to expand, both for Pratt & Whitney and for Georgia’s aerospace industry as a whole. The facility started off as a tiny manufacturing business 40 years ago.
