GE Aviation is planning to build its largest global propjet manufacturing plant in the Czech Republic within the next five years. The American company is currently looking for a location on the outskirts of Prague. Construction should start in 2018 and is expected to take a year. GE already started to chose Czech suppliers, promising them annual orders worth CZK 2.4bn as well as cooperation with GE’s US divisions. Approximately 84 percent of GE’s current suppliers are Czech companies, and GE is considering which of those could be strategic partners in the development of new products. Prague Technical University (ČVUT) is helping GE prepare its new engine line. Manufacturing the new engine will use the latest technologies, and one-third of the parts will be produced on 3D printers. GE is planning to hire 500 employees in the Czech Republic and invest approximately CZK 10bn.
