Florida Construction News staff writer
The State of Florida and aerospace manufacturer Williams International announced plans Thursday for a capital investment exceeding $1 billion in Okaloosa County, marking one of the largest projects in Northwest Florida’s history.
The company will build a high-volume aviation gas turbine engine manufacturing facility at Shoal River Industrial Park, to be developed in three phases through 2036.
The announcement follows a multi-state site search launched by Michigan-based Williams International in 2023. The first 250,000-square-foot facility is expected to break ground later this year and be completed by late 2026. Additional phases are planned for 2028 and 2035-36, bringing the total footprint to 500,000 square feet.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said the investment will create more than 330 jobs and represents “a major win for the Free State of Florida and for Floridians.”
“Williams International’s investment in the Florida Panhandle will create more than 330 jobs, and is a success story of the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund in Northwest Florida,” DeSantis said.
The project was supported through a collaboration of state and local agencies. In 2022, DeSantis awarded $3.2 million through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to help expand manufacturing in the county. Partners in the effort included FloridaCommerce, CareerSource Florida, Florida’s Great Northwest, Space Florida, Okaloosa County, and Triumph Gulf Coast.
“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida continues to attract advanced manufacturing throughout the state—strengthening Florida’s economy and creating opportunities for job seekers and job creators,” said J. Alex Kelly, Florida’s Secretary of Commerce.
Williams International Chairman and CEO Gregg Williams said the company is “very excited about starting our next phase of growth in Northwest Florida,” and thanked local and state partners for their support.
Triumph Gulf Coast Chair Jay Trumbull Sr. called the project “an exciting win for Northwest Florida’s growing aviation industry sector,” while Space Florida President and CEO Rob Long said the expansion reinforces Florida’s role as “the global and interplanetary center for aerospace commerce.”
Local officials praised the investment’s long-term impact. “This is a monumental project that will have a lasting impact on both Okaloosa County’s economy and the entire region,” said County Commissioner Paul Mixon.
Williams International, headquartered in Pontiac, Michigan, is a global leader in the design, manufacture, and support of aviation gas turbine engines for commercial and military applications.
For more information, please visit www.Williams-Int.com.
