Demand for GE locomotives and other transportation products is expanding—and so is GE Transportation’s capacity to meet that demand. In a major announcement made today, the company detailed plans for a new manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Texas and the addition of 250 workers to its manufacturing workforce in Erie, Pa.
Pending final regulatory and government approval, GE will invest up to $96 million in the new plant and will create more than 500 new high-tech manufacturing jobs. The new 900,000-square-foot facility will manufacture, assemble and remanufacture GE’s leading rail and transportation-related products. Production is scheduled to start by 2012.
With market conditions improving, GE Transportation has recalled approximately 800 production workers at its Erie manufacturing facility since late 2010 and announced 450 new jobs since April, including those announced today. In total, more than 4,500 employees work at the Erie facility, including approximately 3,000 production workers. GE Transportation operates at more than 50 GE and customer facilities in the United States.
“GE Transportation is experiencing strong U.S. and global growth because of its technical leadership, and we need to increase our manufacturing capacity and flexibility,” said GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt. “This new state-of-the-art plant in Texas will produce the world’s most advanced locomotives and transportation products, expand our service and repair capability, and create hundreds of new high-tech manufacturing jobs.”
The investment is a historic milestone for the business, marking the first major satellite manufacturing plant in the U.S. in more than 100 years.“We are excited to expand our operational footprint in the United States to better serve our customers,” said Lorenzo Simonelli, President and CEO of GE Transportation. “We see robust growth in the U.S. and around the globe. A new site will help us to effectively respond to the cyclical demand in the transportation industry and to strengthen our overall position.”
In total, more than 4,500 employees work at the Erie facility, including approximately 3,000 production workers. GE Transportation operates at more than 50 GE and customer facilities in the United States.
GE anticipates launching its formal hiring process for both salaried employees and production workers for the Texas facility later this year.
Read the press release here. GE To Open New Locomotive Plant in Texas
