HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NASA Stennis Space Center--Rolls-Royce North America today officially opened its second outdoor jet engine test stand, an investment of $50 million, at the Rolls-Royce Outdoor Jet Engine Test Facility at NASA John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Miss.
Mr. Brent Christensen, Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority joined local and state officials, and Rolls-Royce North America President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. James M. Guyette to mark the official opening of the second test stand.
“Our decision to first build, and now expand, the Rolls-Royce Outdoor Jet Engine Test Stand here at Stennis embraces the spirit of partnership with the State of Mississippi. This relationship continues to grow, which is a direct result of a very positive public-private partnership.” said James M. Guyette, President and CEO of Rolls-Royce North America. “Rolls-Royce is investing in America because our collective innovation, competitiveness and cooperative spirit – and we find the State of Mississippi is the perfect location to expand our operations.”
The new jet engine test stand will play a key role in the company’s development of next generation technology that will make important advancements in improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. The site conducts jet engine testing -- including noise, crosswind, endurance and other tests – on the latest and most sophisticated Rolls-Royce civil aircraft engines – including the Trent 1000 that powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Trent XWB that powers the Airbus A350 XWB.
This expansion will result in 35 new, high-tech positions for the State of Mississippi when fully operational.
“It is always a great testament to the strength of our state’s business climate and the quality of our workforce when an existing business chooses to expand in Mississippi,” Brent Christensen, Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority said. “Rolls-Royce selected the Stennis Space Center in Hancock County as the site of its first engine test stand located outside the United Kingdom, and I am proud the company has again looked to Mississippi as a prime location for the testing of their highly sophisticated jet engines.”
Rolls-Royce North America first opened its Outdoor Jet Engine Testing Facility at Stennis Space Center in 2007. The company employs over 150 people in the state at this facility and Rolls-Royce Marine Propeller and Waterjet Foundry in Pascagoula, where it machines, manufactures, tests, and repairs propellers for the US Navy and Coast Guard. In Meridian, Mississippi the company also operates a defense regional field office at the Naval Air Station.
Notes to Editors:
| 1. | Rolls-Royce is a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, and has established a strong position in global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy. | |
| 2. | As a result of this strategy, Rolls-Royce has a broad customer base comprising more than 300 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more than 4,000 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in more than 80 countries. | |
| 3. | Underlying revenue was $19.5* billion in 2012, of which more than half came from the provision of services. The firm and announced order book stood at $110.7 billion at 30 June 2013, providing visibility of future levels of activity. | |
| 4. | Rolls-Royce employs over 45,000 people in offices, manufacturing and service facilities in over 50 countries. Over 14,000 of these employees are engineers. | |
| 5. | In 2012, Rolls-Royce invested $1.47 billion on research and development, two thirds of which had the objective of further improving the environmental performance of its products, in particular reducing emissions. | |
| 6. | Rolls-Royce supports a global network of 28 University Technology Centres, which connect the company’s engineers with the forefront of scientific research. | |
| 7. | In Mississippi, Rolls-Royce operates from three primary locations with over 150 employees: The Rolls-Royce Outdoor Jet Engine Testing facility at the NASA John C. Stennis Space Center; Rolls-Royce Marine Propeller and Waterjet Foundry in Pascagoula; and, a defense regional field office at the Naval Air Station in Meridian, Mississippi. | |
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*Based on an exchange rate of $1.60 |
Editors, please contact media relations if images are desired from today’s event.
