GE Aviation to choose contractor for new plant

by Associated Press

Published: January 30,2012

Tags: airplanes, aviation, builders, building, construction, contractor, defense, industrial parks, jets, military, plant, technology

ELLISVILLE — GE Aviation officials will soon choose a contractor to build a planned 300,000-square-foot plant in Ellisville, and hope to open it next year, company spokesman Rick Kennedy says.

GE Aviation, a unit of the General Electric Co. said in July that the $56 million project was planned for the Howard Technology Park.

We hope to have the building complete by the end of the year and move our equipment in by early 2013,” Kennedy told The Laurel Leader-Call in a telephone interview.

A GE Aviation plant in Batesville began making composite components for aircraft engines and systems in 2008.

“We have seen continued growth,” said Kennedy. “We really need this Ellisville facility.

Kennedy said orders have gone up tremendously since plans for the Ellisville plant were made public.

“We are pretty much on target with this project,” said Kennedy. “I believe we will begin accepting job applications by the end the year.

“We’ll let everyone know when and where as we get closer to the date,” added Kennedy.