Miles Jamison 
Pratt & Whitney is investing $200 million to expand its Columbus, Georgia, operations and boost production capacity for commercial and military engine programs.
What Will the Investment Support?
The RTX business said Tuesday the investment will fund the addition of a seventh isothermal forging press at its Columbus Forge facility, with operations expected to begin in 2028. The new press is expected to raise the output of critical components, including rotating compressor and turbine disks, by 30 percent. The added capacity will support the geared turbofan engine program, the F135 engine for the F-35 and other platforms.
“Since 2008, we have invested more than $1 billion to continue expanding the footprint and capabilities of our Columbus facility. This latest investment will increase output of critical parts for our growing military and commercial engine programs and underscores our ongoing commitment to ramp industrial capacity to support our customers,” said Shane Eddy, president of Pratt & Whitney.
How Does This Build on Prior Expansion?
The company previously completed a $70 million, 81,000-square-foot expansion of its Columbus Engine Center to support GTF maintenance, repair and overhaul operations. The project added advanced equipment aligned with Pratt & Whitney’s Industry 4.0 strategy, boosting the facility’s annual capacity by more than 25 percent and expanding overhaul volume to support the growing fleet.
The new Columbus expansion follows a $206 million initiative announced in 2023, when Pratt & Whitney unveiled plans to expand its GTF engine manufacturing and overhaul operations. The initial investment included facility expansions, new equipment and an estimated 400 new jobs by 2028.
