The PBS GROUP, owned by the family of William Didden, today (April 30) launched the production of jet engines at its new plant in Roswell, part of the Atlanta metropolitan area, Georgia, United States. Representatives of the Group and the City of Roswell announced this at a press briefing.
"By launching production at our new facility in Roswell, we reaffirm our long-term commitment to our American customers and the U.S. market. It is a clear signal that we want to be closer to our customers and increase our share in the U.S. market. The new plant will enable us to increase production, improve availability, and thereby strengthen customer trust. It will also allow us to meet operational requirements and close development collaboration with our clients. We believe Roswell will become a cornerstone for our long-term success in the United States and for our global expansion," said Pavel Čechal, Vice President of Operations PBS GROUP.
The decision to start production in Roswell was made by the Group’s owner, William Didden. Establishing operations in the United States will allow the Group to streamline deliveries, shorten lead times, and be more flexible in responding to the specific needs of American partners – both in the civilian and defense sectors. Jet engine production is currently running in a trial mode and will be fully operational in September.
The new plant carries out production, assembly, and testing of jet engines intended for both defense and civilian sectors, primarily for drones, guided missiles, and other unmanned vehicles. While the first phase of production will see output in the hundreds annually, the number will later grow to several thousand engines per year. In the second phase, the Group plans to increase capacity at an additional facility to up to 20,000 units annually during 2026 and 2027. The goal is to gradually transition to complete engine production from components manufactured directly in the United States. PBS is already building its own supply chain and the related technological infrastructure. Simultaneously, it is expanding further assembly and testing operations in collaboration with VSC in Florida.
In the first phase, the Group is investing $20 million (approximately CZK 490 million) into the Roswell facility, with about $90 million planned for the second phase. Alongside the production plant in Roswell, a technical and development center is also being established to enhance collaboration with customers on the development of specific applications. PBS GROUP currently employs nearly 100 workers in Roswell, with numbers set to grow as additional operations are added.