GE Prestwick MRO Site To Receive £57M Investment

GE Aerospace’s engine MRO site in Prestwick, Scotland will receive a £57 million ($75 million) investment for expansion and modernization as the engine OEM looks to bolster its commercial aftermarket output.

Around £30 million will be invested by GE Aerospace in the GE Caledonian operation, with an additional £27 million in public funding, provided by the UK government-backed Ayrshire Growth Deal initiative, targeting growth at the Prestwick Aerospace Cluster located around 30 mi. southwest of Glasgow. A further £6 million investment is coming from Scottish Enterprise, a development agency led by the Scottish government.

In a statement released Oct. 12, the U.S. engine manufacturer said the investment will help the site prepare for growth, meet long-term customer demand and lead to the creation of around 150 jobs at the site over a five-year period. The site services GEnx-1B engines, an option for the Boeing 787 aircraft, and the GEnx-2B model, used for both passenger and freighter variants of the 747-8. GE has operated at the Scottish airport since 1980.

“This investment reflects GE Aerospace’s commitment to our customers and to the future of our Prestwick site,” said Andy Prow, site leader at GE Aerospace in Prestwick. “By expanding and modernizing 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.”

Included in the investment is the construction of a new 55,000-ft.² building, which GE said will aim to enhance the site layout, logistics, access and operational flow to create additional shop capacity.

The project is scheduled to begin full operations in the first quarter of 2028.

GE Aerospace’s UK team comprises about 4,100 employees. The company said it has invested more than £7 million in manufacturing and £19 million in MRO this year in the UK, where it also operates a maintenance facility in Nantgarw, Wales.

In addition to job targets, GE said it has made a donation of £75,000 to local institution, Ayrshire College, to support new training equipment for students and apprentices, as well as the delivery of a course designed to prepare students for careers in the wider aerospace industry. The donation will support around 150 apprentices and full-time students.