Only Remaining U.S. Manufacturer Of Aircraft Engines Going Strong

Lycoming Engines announced this week that it will be expanding its operations in Williamsport, PA, bringing the manufacturing of components that are currently being outsourced both in the U.S. and abroad back in house.

To facilitate the expanded manufacturing, the company plans to acquire new equipment and add 33 to 36 new jobs, as well as retain the approximately 400 employees currently working at Lycoming. The overall project cost will be about $12 million, according to the company.

The website Pennlive.com reports that Lycoming spokeswoman Katie Bell said in a meeting with the Lycoming County Industrial Development Authority that she could not yet reveal which components would be shifed to the PA plant because the companies currently manufacturing those items have not yet been notified. She did say the company's position is that it can better control quality by bringing the manufacturing in-house, and the project will help make both Pennsylvania and the U.S. more competitive in the aviation industry.

The development authority is working towards obtaining a $5 million grant from the state to help with the financing. The purchase of $9.5 million in equipment and hiring has already begun, according to the report.

Lycoming is an operating division of Avco Corp, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.textron.com