GE Aerospace is to expand and modernise its aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) site next to Prestwick Airport in a £57m project that the company expects to create about 150 jobs over the next five years.
The US engine maker is putting £30m into the South Ayrshire facility, with a further £27m coming from the Ayrshire Growth Deal. Scottish Enterprise has also planned to invest £6m.
The work includes the construction of a new 55,000 sq ft (5,109 sq m) building and is due to be completed by the start of 2028.
GE Aerospace said the upgrade would increase capacity and “operational flow” at the site, allowing it to better support customers across its commercial MRO network.
Andy Prow, site leader at GE Aerospace in Prestwick, said: “This investment reflects GE Aerospace’s commitment to our customers and to the future of our Prestwick site.
“By expanding and modernising the facility with the help of government partners, we are improving capacity, operational flow and readiness for future demand, while helping hire and train additional workers from the area.”
Alongside the expansion, the company has donated £75,000 to Ayrshire College to pay for new training equipment for around 150 students and apprentices. GE Aerospace said the donation would help secure the next generation of aerospace skills.
The money will also support the delivery of a course designed to prepare students for careers in the wider aerospace industry.
South Ayrshire Council leader Brian Connolly described the investment as a “major milestone” for the Ayrshire Growth Deal and said it would “significantly benefit” the local and national economy.
Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth said the “major expansion” would be a real boost for the local economy.
She said: “It is also a vote of confidence in Scotland’s workforce, and our support for this expansion clearly demonstrates our commitment to build on the strengths of our advanced manufacturing and engineering sectors, as well as stressing the importance of the aerospace sector.”
UK minister Melanie Ward said the UK government had also invested £32m in the Ayrshire Growth Deal to deliver a long-term future for Prestwick Airport.
Reuben Aitken of Scottish Enterprise said the investment builds on “decades of engineering expertise at Prestwick and the site’s role within its global operations”.
The Ayrshire Growth Deal is backed by £103m each from the UK and Scottish governments, with a further £45.5m from the three Ayrshire councils, according to the Scottish Government. Of that, £80m is earmarked for the Prestwick aerospace cluster: £32m from the UK government, £30m from the Scottish Government and £18m from South Ayrshire Council.
The GE Aerospace announcement follows Ryanair’s £40m expansion of its own maintenance facility at Prestwick, announced in March. The airline said that project would take its operation at the airport from six to 10 bays and create 450 engineering and mechanic jobs, including 60 apprenticeships. The Scottish Government put public sector funding for the Ryanair scheme at £20.52m.
Airbus took control of Spirit AeroSystems’ Prestwick site and its 1,150 workers last year, as part of a deal to acquire parts of Spirit’s UK business that also covered its Belfast operations.
GE Aerospace designs and builds engines and technology for passenger, military and private aircraft. The company also has UK bases in Cardiff and Hounslow.
In December last year, GE Aerospace announced a £19m investment over three years to refurbish its Wales site, which focuses on commercial engine MRO work. The company said the Wales site employs more than 1,350 engineers and technical specialists.
