Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Aero Engines (MHIAEL) has completed a major expansion of its Nagasaki compressor factory, boosting its capacity to produce combustors for the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine.
The expansion, first announced in 2022, sees the factory more than double in size to 11,000sq m (118,400sq ft), says MHIAEL parent Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
In addition to adding production capacity, the factory can accommodate some manufacturing processes that are now outsourced to other companies.
The new factory also has Japan’s first thermal barrier coating equipment for the mass production of aircraft engine parts. Thermal barrier coatings protect metal components from high temperatures.
MHI says the expansion will help it meet growing demand for narrowbody aircraft, specifically A320neo-family jets.
The company adds that factory extension is part of a broader effort to increase production capabilities for aircraft engine parts. Last year, MHIAEL announced that it had increased MRO capacity at its Komaki City shop to the north of Nagoya, bolstering its ability to support the PW4000 and International Aero Engines V2500 powerplants.
