GE today announced that it will build a new manufacturing facility to drive innovation and implementation of advanced manufacturing technologies across GE. The site will be located outside of Pittsburgh in Findlay Township, Pennsylvania, to capitalize on the renowned academic institutions and skilled workforce in the area. Construction is expected to begin in March 2015 to be completed by September 2015.
The new facility represents a $32-million investment over three years by the company and will result in the creation of 50 high-tech engineering jobs initially, in disciplines ranging from mechanical and electrical to systems and software engineering.
The new facility reflects GE’s belief that the intersection of technology and manufacturing – marrying hardware with software – is bringing a new era of manufacturing. Advanced Manufacturing is about making things better and faster for customers. It includes new digital fabrication technology, lean manufacturing methods and rapid prototyping, advanced materials sciences, supply chain efficiency and open innovation. The facility will focus on improving capabilities and usage of additive manufacturing across GE while advancing materials sciences and inspection technologies.
Dan Heintzelman, GE vice chairman said, “Advanced manufacturing is driving a profound change in industry and at GE. It is how we will compete and win in the future. We can more efficiently invent and build products for our customers, while driving better margins for our investors. This new facility is crucial for bringing advanced manufacturing technology to all our businesses.”
This facility represents another major GE investment in U.S. manufacturing technology. In the past two years alone, GE has established new Advanced Manufacturing locations for GE Power & Water in Greenville, South Carolina; GE Aviation in Asheville, North Carolina; and GE Oil & Gas in Jacksonville, Florida; while expanding work in GE Aviation in Auburn, Alabama, and improving manufacturing at GE Aviation in Rutland, Vermont.
