Pune: GE Aerospace’s Pune manufacturing facility celebrated ten years of operations on October 14, marking a milestone in the company’s four-decade history in the Indian aviation industry. Over the past decade, Pune has emerged as a hub for producing commercial jet engine components and a centre for advanced manufacturing skill development, training over 5,000 production associates through its apprentice and other programmes.
“When we started this factory, we did not have an aero-engine ecosystem here in Pune. Ten years later we have not only created a world-class manufacturing skill base but have also contributed to the larger aerospace sector. I am proud of the progress we have made to develop local capacity for high-value manufacturing and skilling in Maharashtra,” said Amol Nagar, Executive Director, Global Manufacturing Operations & Supply Chain, GE Aerospace.
The Pune facility produces components for CFM’s* LEAP, GEnx, and GE9X engines, which are used in factories worldwide to meet increasing customer demands. The facility’s success is powered by FLIGHT DECK, GE Aerospace’s proprietary lean operating model, which prioritises safety, quality, and efficiency. By deploying FLIGHT DECK and leveraging over 1,000 recommendations from employees on the shop floor, the facility has reduced waste, enhanced process efficiency, and increased output, all while improving shop-floor safety. On a new model line for a critical component, it has enabled shorter lead times, increased productivity with the same team, and reduced downtime. That line now produces more than twice the number of parts with the help of many improvements made over six quarters.
“Components from Pune feed into our global factories where they are used to build CFM’s LEAP, GEnx and GE9X engines. We are pleased to serve our customers around the world and meet their increasing demands using our FLIGHT DECK proprietary lean operations model, with a sharp focus on safety and quality,” said Vishwajit Singh, Managing Director, Pune Manufacturing Facility, GE Aerospace.
Beyond manufacturing, the Pune facility has built a strong local aerospace workforce by training engineering talent in precision manufacturing. Each year, new batches of diploma engineers undergo a blend of classroom and shop floor training, aligning them with the highest standards of aerospace manufacturing safety and quality. GE Aerospace also sponsors part-time graduate engineering programmes, creating upwardly mobile corps of engineers. Today, more than 300 such engineers work at the Pune facility, while others continue to make a positive impact across India’s aerospace sector.
Environmental stewardship is a hallmark of the Pune facility. It is ISO14001 and ISO45001 certified, with 30% of its power consumption coming from renewable sources.
*CFM is a 50 -50 JV between GE Aerospace and Safran
GE Aerospace has been a partner to India’s aviation industry for over 40 years. 1,400 GE Aerospace and partner engines are in service, powering major Indian airlines. GE Aerospace’s defence engines and systems power Indian Airforce’s Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk 1 and helicopters and Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier battleships and frigates. Its Pune manufacturing facility and 13 local India partners are part of the company’s global supply chain. Researchers and engineers at the company’s 25-year-old India technology centre in Bengaluru are building the latest aviation technologies.
