Hundreds, including Indiana Governor Mike Pence, gathered in La Porte on Thursday to celebrate the largest jobs creation announcement in the history of the city as officials of Alcoa, a global aerospace manufacturer, indicated up to 329 jobs will be created by 2019 through a $100 million capital investment project. Alcoa, which has been at the forefront of the aerospace industry since their inception in 1957, broke ground on “La Porte Plant II,” which will double the size of their current facility.
“Indiana is a state that works, and soon the largest aerospace manufacturing facility in the world will be right here in La Porte, Indiana,” Pence said. “The track record of success in this company is the result of teamwork in Northwest Indiana that is strong regardless of any political divide. Indiana is the leading manufacturing state in the country and I am excited to see Alcoa build on that tradition.”
The new facility, which will encompass 320,000 square feet, will be the “most advanced aerospace facility in the world,” according to Eric Roegner, chief operating officer of Alcoa Investment Castings in several aspects including having the best nickel casting facility and the most advanced fully automated furnace system.
The facility will produce nickel-based superalloy jet engine parts and expand Alcoa’s reach from structural engine components for business and regional jets to large commercial aircraft, including narrow- and wide-body and military airplanes.
Already the global leader in jet engine airfoils, with the expansion Alcoa will have the capacity to produce parts nearly 60 percent larger than its components today.
“Over 90 percent of alloys were designed by Alcoa as well as nickel airfoils that enable engines to operate at 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit are now in every commercial jet flown today,” Roegner said, reinforcing the company’s commitment to Indiana and in particular their La Porte location. “Alcoa has more employees in Indiana than any other state and more capital investment here too.”
To that degree, Pence thanked Alcoa for being “part of a winning team in the state of Indiana.”
Thursday’s announcement celebrated about three years of behind the scenes work making it possible, said Mike Pepper, president of Alcoa Power & Propulsion.
“We have always been dedicated to our La Porte plant, but I figured it was time to grow,” Pepper said. “We will soon have the most advanced plant of its type on the planet and we know it will be run by the most dedicated team.”
La Porte Mayor Blair Milo said it has been an exciting year looking forward to the announcement and groundbreaking of the new facility, championing Alcoa’s commitment to “advancing each generation.”
“This is an enormous accomplishment for Alcoa, and we should all challenge the Alcoa vision of advancing each generation by not sitting back and instead asking what’s next?”
Bert Cook, executive director of the Greater La Porte Economic Development Corporation (GLEDC) expressed his excitement for the project following the official groundbreaking.
“Alcoa has always been one of the major manufacturers in our community and for them to show the commitment to La Porte is extra special,” he said. “When you see the actual size of the project, the excitement builds and you start to understand how big of a decision this was not only for Alcoa, but for the city of La Porte and state of Indiana.”
Pence took time after the presentation and groundbreaking to meet with some of the Alcoa employees that were on hand to mark their company’s expansion announcement.
“The people of La Porte and Alcoa deserve all the credit,” he said.