Williams International is investing more than $1 billion in a gas turbine engine manufacturing facility in Okaloosa County, Florida, following a multi-state search launched in 2023. The project will be built in three phases at Shoal River Industrial Park.

The State of Florida supported the effort with $3.2 million from the Job Growth Grant Fund in 2022. The first 250,000 sq ft building is scheduled for completion in late 2026, followed by further construction in 2028 and again around 2035.

The facility is expected to create more than 330 jobs. State and local partners included FloridaCommerce, CareerSource Florida, Space Florida, Triumph Gulf Coast and One Okaloosa EDC.

Governor Ron DeSantis says: “This billion-dollar investment is a major win for the Free State of Florida and for Floridians.”

Williams International chairman, president and CEO Gregg Williams says: “We are very excited about starting our next phase of growth in Northwest Florida. We are grateful to the Triumph board and for the strong, unified support from all of our Florida stakeholders that will enable us to create many high quality, high technology jobs producing the world’s best gas turbine engines.”

Triumph Gulf Coast chair Jay Trumbull, Sr. adds: “We are especially pleased to see this major manufacturer choose the Shoal River Industrial Park as its new home.”

Space Florida president and CEO Rob Long says the move reinforces Florida as “the global and interplanetary center for aerospace commerce.”