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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Rolls-Royce Expands Center of Excellence in Pascagoula, Mississippi

08/13/2020
Rolls-Royce will invest millions to upgrade U.S. Navy ship propulsion components at its Center of Excellence manufacturing complex in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

As an incentive the Defense Production Act office will invest $22 million for equipment, with Rolls-Royce making an additional investment for building improvements, supplemented with support from Jackson County and the state of Mississippi.

Rolls-Royce will build a new 26,000-square-foot building, with new foundry and machining equipment provided by DPA Title III funding, which will support new jobs and workforce development.

Daniel Rediger, Rolls-Royce, Head of Naval Operations said, “This community partnership between the Defense Production Act Title III organization and Rolls-Royce, along with Mississippi and Jackson County officials, is a major success for all involved. Rolls-Royce will improve our capability to serve Navy shipbuilding; the Navy will benefit from our added capacity; and Jackson County will add new, highly skilled jobs and a secure future for local industry. It's a win-win-win and we are excited to be a part of this project.”

“We also want to recognize the NAVSEA Shipbuilding Industrial Base Task Force for their support through the DPA Title III process, and for recognizing what a vital role we play in the shipbuilding supply chain. Additionally, we would like to thank the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation for helping to coordinate the investment effort with the Jackson County board of supervisors, the Jackson County legislative delegation, and the state of Mississippi. This support and spirit of partnership have been instrumental in the success of the project,” he added.

The facility expansion will bring new jobs that are considered crucial to the success of the advanced manufacturing facility. The Rolls-Royce Pascagoula project follows investment in a new 24,000-square-foot building at the company's Walpole, Massachusetts, facility which further demonstrates both the company's commitment to the naval business and the resilience of its wider Defense business despite difficult economic conditions.

George Freeland, Jackson County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director, said, “Jackson County's winning formula of public-private partnership has yet again produced economic development success. With the modernization and expansion of the Rolls-Royce naval facilities to include casting and finishing of propellers, Jackson County continues to both expand and diversify its economy. This project is the result of a long term partnership between Jackson County, Rolls-Royce, our state legislative delegation, federal delegation, and state of Mississippi.”

Naval components manufactured by Rolls-Royce at Pascagoula include controllable-pitch propeller systems, fixed pitch propellers, and water jets. The components help power the majority of U.S. Navy ships, including aircraft carriers, destroyers and other vessels.

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