Honeywell spending $84M on manufacturing plant to build avionics for future flight

Honeywell President and CEO Jim Currier with Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS) at the expansion announcement. Photo provided by Honeywell.Aircraft engine and avionics maker Honeywell will spend $84 million to expand its manufacturing facility in Olathe, Kansas. Along with its growing factory, the company plans to add 156 workers. The 560,000-square-foot campus currently makes components for Honeywell's avionics, safety and flight control systems, as well as complex radio frequency systems for traffic collision avoidance, radar altimeters and weather radar. "Expanding this facility will enable the development of a strong and resilient domestic supply chain for next-generation avionics and printed circuit board assemblies that our commercial and military customers can rely on," said Jim Currier, president and CEO of Honeywell Aerospace Technologies when first announcing the development earlier this month. "At Honeywell, we are in constant need of highly skilled employees, particularly in engineering and advanced manufacturing, and our decision to expand one of our U.S.-based facilities is a testament to our confidence in the U.S. economy and its talented workforce." The expansion will generate around $47 million in gross domestic product (GDP) and contribute $18.3 million to state and local taxes in the first six years, according to Honeywell. In addition to the 156 new hires, the company expects for the expansion to generate more than 200 other jobs in supporting sectors of the Kansas economy, plus 268 short-term construction jobs worth nearly $25 million in GDP. "Honeywell's expanded presence in Kansas underscores what we've known all along our state's workforce is prepared to meet any challenge," Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said. "The high-tech jobs and opportunities being created will allow even more of our young workers to find their dream careers right here in Kansas." RELATED STORY: Boom Supersonic chooses flight deck, avionics supplier for OvertureIn addition to supporting conventional aircraft markers with engines and flight decks, Honeywell also plans to supply some of the developers of next-gen aircraft with avionics systems. In December, Boom Supersonic said it will rely on the Honeywell Anthem flight deck to fly its Overture aircraft. The flight deck will allow for improved situational awareness and enhanced safety, the company said, as the advanced avionics interface will provide Boom pilots with continuity from initial flight training in a simulator to physical test flights. "Honeywell has an extensive history of aerospace innovation and shares our vision of a faster future through sustainable supersonic flight," Boom Supersonic Founder and CEO Black Scholl said at the time of that announcement. "We're proud to work with Honeywell to realize one of the most advanced flight decks in the sky, with state-of-the-art technologies that reduce pilot workload and increase safety."