Japanese firm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is set to establish a new factory within its Nagasaki Shipyard and Machinery Works to manufacture PW1100G-JM engine components.

MHI anticipates that the new Combustor Centre will enable it to strengthen its global competitiveness with the development of an advanced engine parts production line.

Construction of the new plant is scheduled for this October while initial production is expected to start next year, incrementally expanding thereafter.

The combustor parts manufacturing factory will be constructed as the Nagasaki Works of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Aero Engines (MHIAEL), an aero-engine business unit of MHI Group.

It will be situated at MHI’s former Ship Propeller Factory site adjacent to the Nagasaki Shipyard Museum. MHIAEL will play a crucial role in the redevelopment of the Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works area.

The factory will be equipped with a fully integrated production line from combustor parts material receiving to machining and assembly.

MHIAEL will also introduce automation and manpower saving technologies such as automated material handling, tool changing, IoT and AI technologies at its parent factory.

MHI is building the new factory in response to the expanding aircraft engine production and also as part of its business expansion strategy.

MHIAEL’s head office main plant in Aichi Prefecture is currently preparing to launch new engine maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) services.

In January, MHI signed an agreement with Inmarsat to launch the former’s future communications satellites aboard Inmarsat’s new H3 vehicle.

Last November, MHI unveiled plans to provide $1.94bn in financial support to its struggling subsidiary Mitsubishi Aircraft to help the delayed development of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ).