by Elsie Clark | Nov 25, 2025 | Innovation
GE Aerospace are investing nearly US$53 million in their manufacturing facility in West Jefferson, North Carolina. The facility is responsible for critical components in the CFM LEAP engine, which powers commercial narrow-body aircraft.
Under the new project, a 35,000 square foot extension will be added to the manufacturing site, and more equipment purchased to boost production. Funding from local government is supporting the initiative, while GE Aerospace has committed to training North Carolinians to fill 40 new job roles.
Parts made at the West Jefferson facility include rotating parts, turbines, and spools, The planned upgrades will take place over three years as GE Aerospace seeks to address directly the supply chain issues plaguing the aerospace sector.
A report from IATA and Oliver Wyman found that supply chain challenges could cost airlines as much as US$11 billion in 2025. Geopolitical instability, material shortages, and labour availability have compounded existing bottlenecks, all while increasing costs.
However, aviation’s growth plans continue to rise, with airlines ordering greater volumes of aircraft than ever. Airbus and Boeing are both struggling to meet the demand for narrow-body aircraft, with delivery slots for the A320neo and 737 MAX sold out for the next decade. The rapid growth of low-cost carriers such as flydubai and Ryanair, alongside legacy carrier’s focus on premium narrow-body experiences, has placed more pressure on manufacturers.
GE Aerospace’s investment hopes to ease some of these supply chain constraints. However, with the facility not set to open for a further three years, the industry must still address a range of production challenges to tackle the supply chain conundrum.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026, where our dedicated supply chain track will discuss how the industry can build resilience and mitigate disruption.
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by ATR Contributor | Aug 1, 2025 | Sustainability
As the aviation industry faces mounting pressure to decarbonize, OEMs are stepping up with bold innovation, practical design shifts, and deeper collaboration than ever before.
In this interview, Rebina Pozole, Head of Sustainability at Deutsche Aircraft, shares how the company is tackling sustainability challenges through smarter aircraft design, fuel experimentation, and strategic partnerships-with the D328eco aircraft leading the charge.
“We’ve always reduced fuel for economic reasons-now we’re doing it for environmental ones.”
Pozole explains that while long-term innovation is crucial, OEMs have a responsibility to pursue near-term, feasible solutions. For Deutsche Aircraft, this includes improving aerodynamics, weight, and engine efficiency while also testing alternative fuel types like hydrogen, batteries, and more sustainable hydrocarbon use.
“There aren’t that many energy carriers we can use in aviation. We need to explore realistic alternatives-and SAF is one of them.”
She highlights two tracks of experimentation:
- Applied tech testing, like flights using zero-aromatics synthetic fuels
- Research-based experimentation, exploring what may be possible in the future
One major milestone? The upcoming D328eco, scheduled for entry into service in late 2027:
“We’re on track. Seeing the aircraft take shape in the hangar-it’s really exciting.”
Pozole also dives into the critical need for deep, technical collaboration between OEMs, fuel producers, and other ecosystem players:
“It’s not just cooperation for the sake of it. We need to understand each other’s technical and business constraints-something we never had to do before.”
Looking ahead, Deutsche Aircraft is actively forming strategic partnerships with SAF producers to ensure their aircraft can fly with 100% PTL zero-aromatics fuel once it’s commercially available.
Questions asked include:
- What role do OEMs play in the aviation industry’s sustainability journey?
- How is aircraft design being optimized to reduce climate impact?
- What are the key challenges in experimenting with new technologies and fuels?
- Can you tell us about the progress of the D328eco?
- How vital is collaboration in meeting sustainability goals?
- Are there any exciting partnerships on the horizon?
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