Rolls-Royce has announced a $17.4 million investment at its mtu Aiken manufacturing facility in Graniteville, South Carolina, USA, for the addition of a new Remanufacturing and Overhaul Regional Center.
The planned 109,000-sq.ft (10,126 sq.m) expansion project will provide dedicated and streamlined remanufacturing and overhaul operations to support growth based on customer demand, it said. It will also result in the addition of about 20 new jobs.
To be built next to the mtu Aiken plant’s existing engine manufacturing operations, the new centre will bring currently outsourced workshop and warehouse operations in-house and expand them to provide remanufacturing of mtu Series 2000 and 4000 engines and components, the overhaul of mtu brand and customer-owned engines, plus internal and external rework services to help customers and distributors fine-tune maintenance and performance metrics, the company said.
Construction of the new centre is scheduled to begin later this year, with operations expected to begin in early 2023.
“Remanufacturing offers a wise lifecycle investment for customers, returning equipment to like-new condition and resulting in lower acquisition, maintenance and operation costs,” Rolls-Royce said. “Already performed at select global plant locations, the Rolls-Royce remanufacturing and overhaul process is designed to ensure optimal performance and durability, where used engines and assemblies are fully disassembled, cleaned and inspected, and then reworked and reassembled using all new parts to replace any outdated, worn, or damaged components.”
Dr Otto Preiss, Chief Operating Officer at Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said: “Investing in a remanufacturing and overhaul centre in the US is the next milestone in implementing our global strategy to optimise the value of our installed base, with regional centres and supporting workshops offering the best support for our customers.”
Marc Goldschmidt, Global Vice President Remanufacturing and Overhaul, added: “The new centre will fulfill regional and local customer needs using the global network and processes, following the remanufacturing and overhaul Lead Plant located in Magdeburg, Germany.”
The facility at Aiken will feature distinct work areas to carry out the remanufacturing and overhaul process: core management; cleaning and disassembly; measuring and inspection; rework; reassembly; test; and painting and packaging. Upon start-up, the centre will remanufacture all applications of mtu Series 2000, Series 4000, and Detroit Diesel 2-Cycle engines. The future aim is to add capabilities to support the company’s sustainable solutions such as battery containers, along with natural gas engines and systems.
Steve Blaszczak, Senior Manager, Remanufacturing and Overhaul – US, said: “Our investment in remanufacturing and overhaul solutions is also in line with our initiatives toward more environmentally-friendly solutions. By remanufacturing and overhauling engines, we are able to extend their useful life while also bringing them to the latest emissions standards. This benefits our customers as well as the environment.”
Since its opening in the fall of 2010, the mtu Aiken Plant has continued to innovate, invest and expand, the company said.
“What began with the production of Series 2000 and Series 4000 engines, has grown to include the assembly of military engines, the machining of parts and even the production of energy through its solar field and microgrid,” it said. “With an on-site research and development centre and now a new Remanufacturing and Overhaul Center, the mtu Aiken Plant covers the full circle of life for an mtu engine – from concept to second life (ie overhaul).”