GE Aerospace has expanded its Winfield operations to occupy an entire industrial building on East 19th Avenue, just five years after moving its engine services operation out of the same facility.
The expansion nearly doubles GE’s footprint in the building and comes with a considerable investment in the facility and an increase in manpower, according to information obtained by Cowley Post.
Commercial real estate listings earlier this year advertised 181,521 square feet of the roughly 415,000-square-foot building for lease, with GE Aerospace occupying only a portion of the facility. Cowley Post checked with the real estate firm handling the property, which confirmed the listing is no longer active because GE decided to expand into the remaining space and occupy the entire building.
In 2021, GE Aerospace, then GE Aviation, consolidated local operations by moving engine services from Winfield to its existing operation at Strother Field. At the time, the company cited pressures on the aerospace industry brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. GE made global workforce reductions and took steps to consolidate operations as a result.
For a time after the consolidation, GE continued using a much smaller portion of the Winfield building, and it was unclear what the future held for the sprawling former Binney and Smith “Crayola Factory” at 2000 E. 19th Ave.
The space left vacant by the consolidation has now been absorbed as GE grows its Aviation Materials operation in Winfield.
Jessica Falk, director of Cowley County Economic Development, said the increased activity is a positive development for the area.
“GE has been a longstanding and important part of Cowley County’s manufacturing sector, and increased utilization of the facility is a positive indicator for our local economy,” Falk said in an email response to questions from Cowley Post. “We’re always pleased to see our existing employers investing in their operations and strengthening their presence in the community. We look forward to supporting GE as they continue to grow in Cowley County.” Continue story below ad.
GE Aviation Materials specializes in used serviceable aircraft engines, engine components and spare parts for the commercial aviation aftermarket, supplying material used by engine overhaul and repair operations.
U.S. Customs shipping records show the Winfield operation is also part of an international aerospace supply chain, receiving aircraft engines and components from overseas facilities, including recurring shipments from the United Kingdom and China. Records show substantial shipments of civil aircraft engines arriving from a GE engine-services operation in the United Kingdom beginning at least by early 2025 and continuing into 2026.
The growth in Winfield also comes as GE Aerospace has announced broader plans to increase investment in its U.S. operations, including spending aimed at expanding manufacturing capacity and increasing production as demand for commercial aircraft engines and services remains strong.
True to long-standing form, GE Aerospace officials are tight-lipped about the extent of the growth in Winfield. Questions sent to local leadership were forwarded to Paul Bergman, senior media relations manager for GE Aerospace.
“We don’t provide site specific employment numbers or dollar amounts,” Bergman said in an email response.
Winfield City Manager Taggart Wall said the city welcomed the development.
“The City of Winfield looks forward to GE Aerospace’s continued growth in Winfield and Cowley County,” Wall said.
