GE Aerospace invests €110m in European workforce

GE Aerospace has unveiled plans to invest more than €110m (US$127m) across its European sites for commercial and defence aerospace manufacturing. The investment could support 1,000 new employees across key locations including Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, the UK and Romania.

The announcement comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions and ongoing global conflicts and persistent turbulence in aerospace supply chains.

A substantial portion of the funding will be directed towards state-of-the-art engine test cells, advanced machining equipment, additive manufacturing expansion and upgrades to buildings and infrastructure.

In Italy alone, GE Aerospace is investing US$88.5m in advanced manufacturing and testing capabilities for multiple commercial and defence engine programmes. The Italian facilities represent the largest single-country investment within this European expansion package, accounting for approximately 70% of the total funding.

Riccardo Procacci, President and CEO, Propulsion & Additive Technologies at GE Aerospace, says: "This significant investment reflects our long-term commitment to the European aerospace industry, a crucial market for many of our key customers."

"By expanding advanced manufacturing and testing capabilities across Europe, we are better positioned to meet growing customer demand while supporting the communities and economies where we operate," Riccardo says.

Building European manufacturing capacity

The investments will support multiple commercial narrow and widebody engine programmes alongside military fighter jet and helicopter engines.

According to McKinsey, European defence spending is surging. Core defence spending has doubled since 2019 and, under NATO's new 3.5% benchmark for 2035, could reach approximately €800bn (US$923bn) by 2030.

This increased defence spending is driving demand for military aerospace capabilities across the continent, creating opportunities for manufacturers with established European operations.

In Poland, GE Aerospace is investing in advanced grinding and machining equipment, extensive welding and inspection tooling and building improvements.

The Czech Republic site will receive precision machining and grinding systems, quality inspection technology, assembly tooling and building improvements.

The UK facilities will benefit from upgrades to test and manufacturing equipment to expand electronics and component manufacturing capabilities and modernise buildings and infrastructure.

In Romania, the company is investing in multiple metal-cutting machines, tooling and fixtures alongside building upgrades.

Developing skilled talent pipelines

GE Aerospace aims to build a larger skilled workforce across Europe through its commitment to hire 1,000 new members of staff across the sites.

Christian Meisner, Chief Human Resources Officer at GE Aerospace, says: "Our commitment extends beyond facilities and equipment; it is equally focused on our people. In an evolving industry, investing in skills, training and talent pipelines across Europe is not just a tactical necessity but a strategic imperative."

"We are dedicated to ensuring that the European aerospace sector has the skilled workforce required to innovate, grow and deliver exceptional value to our customers for decades to come," Christian says.

The company is recruiting through workforce training grants to vocational schools in the UK and Italy. GE Aerospace is also expanding its Next Engineers programme in Warsaw, Poland, which will reach more than 4,000 students.

The workforce development initiatives aim to address the skills gap in advanced manufacturing and aerospace engineering across the region.