MTU Maintenance to Invest $120M in Fort Worth Expansion, Creating 1,200 Jobs at Alliance Airport

MTU Maintenance to Invest $120 Million in Fort Worth Expansion, Creating 1,200 Jobs at Alliance Airport

MTU Maintenance has announced a $120 million investment to expand its North American operations at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport, formalized through a new 30-year lease agreement with the City of Fort Worth. This expansion will modernize and upgrade MTU’s existing 463,000-square-foot facility, creating 1,200 highly skilled jobs directly and an estimated 2,000 additional indirect jobs in related sectors such as services, logistics, and infrastructure.

Expansion and Strategic Focus

The facility, currently known as MTU Maintenance Dallas, will be renamed MTU Maintenance Fort Worth effective September 1, pending regulatory approvals. This rebranding reflects MTU’s increasing focus on servicing GE Aerospace’s CFM LEAP and GEnx engines, which are among the most widely used in commercial aviation. Notably, the GEnx engine family has accumulated over 62 million flight hours and powers two-thirds of all Boeing 787 aircraft globally.

MTU’s Fort Worth site will evolve from an on-site service center into a comprehensive disassembly, assembly, and test facility, significantly broadening the company’s maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities. Currently, MTU offers customized MRO, leasing, and asset management services for more than 30 engine types, serving over 1,100 customers worldwide. Bill Burton, executive vice president of marketing and development for Hillwood, the developer of AllianceTexas, emphasized the transformation, stating that the operation will become a full maintenance and testing hub.

Industry Context and Challenges

While the expansion marks a major milestone for MTU and Fort Worth, it comes amid broader industry challenges. Global tariffs pose risks to supply chain diversification and parts sourcing, while infrastructure limitations and workforce shortages in the aviation sector could affect the pace and efficiency of the expansion. These factors may lead airlines and operators to reconsider their vendor networks, potentially prompting competitors to open new maintenance bases or expand existing facilities to capture greater market share.

MTU Aero Engines, headquartered in Munich, is Germany’s leading engine manufacturer and a significant player in the global aerospace industry. The company provides development, manufacturing, and maintenance services for both military and commercial aircraft engines. MTU first established its presence at the Alliance site in 2023 with an engine test facility capable of handling engines producing up to 100,000 pounds of thrust.

Economic and Workforce Impact

Marilyn Marvin, Fort Worth’s property management director, highlighted the strategic importance of MTU’s expansion, noting that it will further establish Fort Worth as a leading aviation hub. She underscored the potential for collaboration with local universities to foster talent development and ongoing training, supporting the region’s highly skilled workforce.

MTU technology currently powers one in every three commercial aircraft worldwide. The company services approximately 1,500 engines and industrial gas turbines annually and employs more than 13,000 people across 19 locations on five continents. This expansion at Fort Worth represents a significant step in MTU’s global growth and commitment to the North American market.