RTX business Pratt & Whitney and Air New Zealand are expanding the Christchurch Engine Centre to improve the facility’s GTF engine maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities.
Pratt & Whitney President Shane Eddy and Air New Zealand Chair Therese Walsh attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion project on Thursday, an event led by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
Support for Growing Fleet
“With the Asia-Pacific region projected to experience the highest aviation growth globally over the next 20 years, it is a strategic imperative for us to invest here and partner with Air New Zealand as we continue to expand the GTF MRO network in support of the growing fleet,” Pratt & Whitney President Shane Eddy said in a statement.
Air New Zealand opened the Christchurch factory in 1948 and welcomed the RTX subsidiary into its operations in 2001 to cater to the repair of the JT8D and V2500 engines. The Christchurch Engine Centre has a highly capable 400-strong workforce.
The $150 million development will add 200 jobs in the region and enable the facility to host 140 engine overhauls a year starting in 2032.
According to Walsh, who underscored the facility’s importance to the Auckland-based flag carrier’s aircraft fleet, the expansion allows them to “continue to deliver on our purpose of connecting Kiwis with each other and the world.” Air NZ is preparing to welcome the arrival of four new Airbus aircraft in the coming years.
NZ Advanced Manufacturing
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger, who also attended the Whakawātea groundbreaking ceremony, said the new facility positions the city as a world-class aerospace and technology center.
The investment aligns with Wellington’s moves to build its defense technology manufacturing landscape.
The New Zealand Defence Force has begun constructing a new maintenance support facility in the South Island as part of its five-year estate regeneration program.
Nonprofits are also contributing to lifting the capacity of domestic manufacturers. In July, the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre, a consortium of Australian firms, awarded funding for four projects on building space technology, developing capabilities and driving innovation in both countries.