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Jet engine bearing plant coming to N. Charleston
By Dan McCue
Staff Writer
The SKF Group of Sweden and GE Aviation confirmed they are jointly establishing a new facility in the Palmetto Commerce Park in North Charleston to manufacture and repair bearings for General Electric jet engines.
Venture Aerobearings LLC is slated to begin operation by mid-2008 from a newly leased facility.
Based on current demand for jet engines, GE and SKF expect the facility to employ up to 100 people when it is fully operational in 2009.
The recently constructed concrete-paneled building has 127,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space. It is currently being fitted to Venture Aerobearings’ specifications, said Peter Anderson, vice president of Stone Mountain, Ga.-based Pattillo Construction Co.
“We are extremely proud to welcome this joint venture to our growing aerospace hub,” said Robert L. Pratt, chairman of the Charleston Regional Development Alliance. “Given the stature of these companies and the magnitude of this investment, this is a real win for the region, and it will have a tremendous impact on the local economy.”
Buoyed by continuing sales success of its high-thrust jet engines for airlines worldwide, GE production has been increasing at a double-digit rate since 2005, driving demand for precision bearings. SKF is one of the world’s largest producers of bearings for jet engines.
Last year, an affiliate of SKF Group, SKF Aero Bearings, a maker of bearings and anti-friction solutions for aerospace, automotive and manufacturing processes, announced a $6.5 million expansion at Pepperdam Industrial Park in North Charleston.
Dan McCue is a staff writer for the Business Journal. E-mail him at dmccue@setcommedia.com.
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