GE Aviation is set to invest around $105m in its ceramic matrix composite (CMC) components manufacturing plant in Asheville, North Carolina, US, to meet growing product demand.

Under the proposed investment, GE Aviation will create 131 new jobs at the Asheville facility, which currently employs 425 people.

The company opened the facility in 2014, with an aim to support its jet engine production programme.

GE Aviation will also add 15 new positions at its West Jefferson, North Carolina-based manufacturing facility, which currently has a workforce of more than 270 employees.

“The Asheville and West Jefferson plants are part of GE Aviation’s global supply chain, which features roughly 80 facilities across 19 countries, employing more than 27,000 people.”

GE Aviation Asheville plant leader Michael Meguiar said: “We continue to build on a great workforce, culture, and community that supports advanced manufacturing jobs in Western North Carolina.

“This merging of technology and a strong, creative workforce is the foundation of our success. Our site continues to grow as we win components for our next generation of engines such as the GE9X and the CFM LEAP.”

The Asheville and West Jefferson plants are part of GE Aviation’s global supply chain, which features roughly 80 facilities across 19 countries, employing more than 27,000 people.

GE Aviation currently operates a component manufacturing facility in Wilmington in Delaware, US, and an engine assembly plant in Durham, North Carolina.

The company employs more than 1,700 people in North Carolina.

Last month, GE Aviation, opened a Rockford facility to test jet engine components under a full range of temperatures, pressures, and other conditions.

The Advanced Engineering Pneumatics Test Laboratory (AdEPT) was built with an investment of $13m and is expected to support the growth of the company’s existing plant in Rockford.