Alcoa begins work on $100m jet engine plant in Indiana

Alcoa has started construction on its new $100m aerospace plant in La Porte, Indiana, US, to manufacture nickel-based superalloy engine components.

The 320,000ft² facility is expected to be ready by the end of 2015, and will allow Alcoa to increase production of engines for narrow-bodied aircraft, which are one of the top selling engines in the world.

Alcoa will manufacture structural engine components for business and regional aircraft and large commercial jets, including narrow and wide-body and military aircraft.

Components will be used in the compression and hot sections of the jet engine.

Alcoa chairman and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld said aerospace growth is rapidly increasing and the company is increasing its downstream capabilities to capture that demand.

"Applying our industry-leading expertise, this facility will deliver highly engineered parts our customers need to build some of the best selling engines and at high volumes," Kleinfeld said.

The new facility will facilitate production of around 60% larger components than what the company currently produces, strengthening its position in wider-body jet market.

The La Porte plant is equipped with advanced manufacturing equipment such as digital X-ray for real-time quality assurance, 3D printing of prototypes, blue light technology, and automated casting furnaces to facilitate compliance with precise product specifications.

The development marks the company’s second major aerospace investment in Indiana in two years.

In 2012, Alcoa announced construction of a $90m greenfield aluminum lithium facility at its Lafayette operation. It is scheduled to open in late-2014.

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Image: Rendering of Alcoa’s new jet engine plant in La Porte, Indiana. Photo: courtesy of Alcoa Inc.