Pratt & Whitney has announced a $20m investment to increase the GTF maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capacity of its West Palm Beach Engine Center.

The expansion will accommodate a 40% increase in capacity and is expected to be complete by the second half of 2025.

To accommodate the planned growth, the facility will increase its workforce by 25% over the next year and will add critical equipment in areas such as machining, test, clean and warehousing. It will also incorporate transformative technologies developed at the recently announced North American Technology Accelerator.

"The expansion at West Palm Beach is the latest example of our global investment to support the GTF fleet," said Kevin Kirkpatrick, vice president of global aftermarket operations at Pratt & Whitney. "We remain steadfast in our commitment to support customers and maintain their trust as we carry out the GTF fleet management plan."

West Palm Beach was transformed into a fully capable GTF MRO engine centre in mid-2021. It was the first Pratt & Whitney facility to adopt an automated system that assembles the high-pressure compressor (HPC) rotor and a refined overhead engine handling system. Since implementation, Pratt & Whitney has seen a more than 25% improvement in HPC rotor yield and a 50% reduction in process turnaround time.

In 2023, Pratt & Whitney announced three GTF MRO facility expansions and five shop activations to support the growing GTF fleet. There are currently 16 active GTF MRO engine centres around the world, with another three expected to come online by 2025.

The GTF MRO network is part of Pratt & Whitney EngineWise solutions, which provide operators with a full range of aftermarket services resulting in long-term, sustainable value.

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