Aerospace equipment OEM Collins Aerospace plans to add wheels and brakes maintenance capabilities at a new facility it opened in late 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas.

In an overall investment worth $225 million, which also factors in company expansions to carbon brake manufacturing sites in Washington and Colorado, the 110,000 sq. ft Forth Worth site will begin ramping up shortly to encompass the new repair offerings closer to full capacity.

Work at the site consists of commercial customers, along with defense and business operators, all of which Collins says are increasing in demand. 

Once fully operational, the new facility will combine Collins’ current landing gear operations in Fort Worth while adding 30% of volume to its existing facility. As a result of the expansion, the OEM plans to add new manpower in the form of 40 new jobs at the site. Overall, it will add 100 roles across the three facilities earmarked for expansion. 

Ajay Mahajan, vice president, Landing Systems at Collins Aerospace, says the move signals the company’s intention to invest in its facilities in order to better serve its customers.

Collins Aerospace, the result of 2018’s $30 billion mega merger between UTC Aerospace Systems and Rockwell Collins, has been growing in the aftermarket, which now accounts for around 40% of its overall business.

The past two years have seen a raft of aftermarket contracts signed in the landing gear and wheels and brakes segments. Just this week at the Singapore Airshow, it announced a new five-year agreement with Japan Airlines worth $200 million to service air management and electric power components for the carrier’s Boeing 787 aircraft fleet. 

In addition, it also announced the opening of an innovation center in Singapore which has a commitment to deliver more than 40 proof of concepts over the next five years that will become new products and enhanced service offerings for its MRO customers.