Jeff Morris, chief manufacturing engineer and project leader at GE, said Monday the facility will be about 280,000 square feet, including 240,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The remaining 40,000 square feet will be office space.
“We are pleased to obtain the approval for rezoning from the city of Beavercreek. For more than 70 years our operations have been part of the community, we are excited to continue that long standing relationship and progressing our project later this year,” Morris said.
Morris said Unison is looking to consolidate its facilities in the area because there have been some challenges in their industry, such as decreased air travel, in 2020.
“In order to be more competitive and better serve our customers, we are consolidating our manufacturing operations into one location,” he said on Monday.
The plan is to start clearing the space in April or May of this year and be operational next March, said Randy Burkett, Beavercreek’s planning and development director.
The majority of the area under consideration for this future manufacturing plant is wooded. There are two fields within the property that are currently tillable land, according to city documents. The proposed area will have about 1,300 feet of frontage on the north side Research Boulevard, and about 3,100 feet of frontage on Interstate 675 and the exit ramp. The site is near Walnut Grove Country Club.
The specific site plan will be reviewed by the Beavercreek planning and zoning commission in February, Burkett said.
GE spokeswoman Jennifer Villarreal previously told this newspaper the Beavercreek facilities employ about 400 hourly and salaried employees and the move to the new facility will keep employment at about 400. This is not expected to effect customer commitments or other GE Aviation Dayton-based operations.
The plan is for the new building to maintain new technology development as well as new product introduction. Unison builds gas turbine engine components and electrical and mechanical systems for a variety of industries, including aviation, space. defense, and oil and gas. Employees will continue working in the existing buildings during the construction and transition phases.
Unison Industries’ target is to have everyone in the new manufacturing plant by the end of 2022.
GE Unison leases four buildings and owns three in the Beavercreek area. The company plans to eventually sell off its properties and exit leases of the other buildings it will no longer occupy.
About the Author
