LONDON, England – At GE Aerospace’s display at the Farnborough International Airshow, a large digital map displays the company’s investments in Alabama.
About 750 employees between its Auburn and Huntsville facilities. Investments of more than $100 million last year alone. Sixty in-state suppliers.
“GE was a game changer for us,” Auburn City Manager Megan McGowen Crouch
said Tuesday at the airshow outside London. GE Aerospace announced in 2010 it
would locate in Auburn a facility to produce parts for its jet engines. Later, it
expanded operations to add high-volume additive manufacturing.
The company’s operations continue to grow. It will add 5,000 employees across the U.S. this year and put $1 billion into facilities in 17 states.
Earlier this year, GE Aerospace Foundation announced that Auburn would be one
of five communities worldwide to be part of a new $30 million workforce
training program.
“Their commitment to the state, their corporate culture and how they do business and their continued investment in the state has been tremendous,” McGowen Crouch said. “From workforce to their community commitments to their environmental responsibility has been a very big deal, not just for Auburn but for the entire state.”
Continuing to develop the city’s relationship with GE and seeking new
opportunities in the aviation industry brought McGowen Crouch and other
Auburn leaders to the airshow this year as part of the delegation led by the
Alabama Department of Commerce.
City leaders and economic development groups from across the state are at the
biennial aviation, aerospace and defense industry expo.
The Farnborough Airshow gives us the opportunity to reinforce our commitment to our existing industry partners,” said Jeremy Nails, president and CEO of the Morgan County Economic Development Association. “It also allows us to promote Decatur, Morgan County and the State of Alabama to the next generation of aerospace, defense and advanced manufacturing companies looking to make their next investment.”
‘Ready to scale’
Birmingham’s delegation includes Mayor Randall L Woodfin and other city and
airport leadership.
“Walking the floor at Farnborough, you can feel the sheer velocity of where
global industry is heading – and Birmingham is built to run at exactly this pace,”
Woodfin said. “We aren’t just watching the future of aviation and technology take
flight; we are here to ensure Birmingham is the launchpad for its next great
expansion. Our message to the global innovators here today is simple:
Birmingham is open for business, open for partnership and ready to scale.”
Loyd Jenkins, executive director of the Montgomery Regional Airport Authority, is part of the Capital City’s delegation at Farnborough. The airport has about 300 acres of land ready for development, he said.
“This mission is about creating meaningful partnerships that will strengthen our
airport, attract aerospace and aviation investment, expand air service and cargo
opportunities, and drive economic growth throughout the River Region,” Jenkins
said. “Every meeting is an opportunity to showcase Montgomery’s strategic
advantages and reinforce our commitment to building a globally connected
airport that serves as a catalyst for innovation, commerce and prosperity for our
community.”
Caleb Goodwyn, chief economic development officer for the Montgomery Regional Chamber, shared the area’s competitive advantages while at Farnborough, including the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility, strong manufacturing base, Maxwell Air Force Base and significant infrastructure investments.
“The Alabama Department of Commerce creates opportunities for communities across our state to engage with companies from around the world under the Made in Alabama brand,” Goodwyn said. “That allows us to tell Alabama’s story while also highlighting what makes Montgomery unique. It’s a tremendous advantage when you’re competing for global investment.”
It’s about results
Huntsville International Airport Chief Business Development Officer Barbie Peek is a veteran participant in international airshows and said she’s witnessed firsthand how events like Farnborough and the Paris Air Show drive global opportunity.
“Huntsville-Madison County is a premier leader in aerospace and defense,” Peek said. “It is vital that we showcase not only our incredible local talent, but also the unique, singular ecosystem that makes our region the ultimate destination for business success.
“Our community’s presence at international airshows since the late 1980s has never been just about attending—it’s about economic results. Over nearly four decades, we’ve learned how to leverage face-to-face time with global aerospace and defense leaders. This sustained effort has directly fueled our regional growth, allowing us to expand local businesses, attract major new companies and forge powerful global alliances.”
Peek said when one show ends, preparations for the next begin almost immediately.
“The collaborative efforts of the Huntsville-Madison County team, along with our state and federal partners, is our greatest strength and this creates a powerful engine for regional economic development,” Peek said.
In a written statement, the Birmingham Airport Authority Board of Directors said its work at Farnborough helps it advance strategic capital improvement initiatives and expand opportunities for economic development.
“As we continue to advance strategic capital improvement initiatives and expand opportunities for economic development, it is critical that we build strong partnerships with organizations that share our commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and sustainable growth,” the statement said. “These conversations open doors to future investments, new technologies, and collaborative opportunities that will strengthen our airports and create lasting economic benefits for the Birmingham region.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated.
