11 December, 2018:Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation (UTC) has officially inaugurated a new aerospace engineering centre in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The ceremony also included a $500,000 donation by Pratt & Whitney to the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez to fund an aerospace teaching laboratory designed to train the next generation of mechanical and electrical engineers in the propulsion design and development. Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló and representatives from the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) attended the ceremony alongside several Pratt & Whitney and UTC executives. The renovation was made possible through a collaboration with PRIDCO.
The renovated $14M facility is 104,000 square feet and houses more than 800 Pratt & Whitney Puerto Rico employees with the capacity for 400 more. The facility is on track for LEED Silver certification with multiple features designed with sustainability in mind. It also has an open-concept floorplan to support communication and collaboration.
"We brought IAS into the Pratt & Whitney family because we recognized the tremendous potential the business offered us — in particular, the talented engineers and employees," said Geoff Hunt, senior vice president of Engineering, Pratt & Whitney. "I want to thank PRIDCO for their support in making this beautifully renovated facility possible. This is something we can all come together to celebrate, especially in light of the devastation of Hurricane Maria."
Since Hurricane Maria in September 2017, Pratt & Whitney employees globally have been committed to relief efforts through a combination of financial contributions, donation events and volunteerism. Local employees have helped more than 600 families in eight towns by distributing food and personal items and by volunteering to repair damaged homes. Pratt & Whitney Puerto Rico is committed to continuing to support these local communities in the constant recovery efforts.