Pratt & Whitney, an RTX (NYSE:RTX) business, has formally opened its European Technology and Innovation Center (ETIC), a new facility dedicated to researching advanced propulsion technologies for enabling greater energy efficiency and performance in future commercial aircraft. ETIC enhances Pratt & Whitney's capability to collaborate with industry and academia in the Netherlands and across Europe, targeting a range of high-impact technologies including advanced gas turbine systems, hybrid-electric and hydrogen propulsion.
"As an independent innovation center dedicated to cutting edge technology research, ETIC is a first-of-a-kind facility for Pratt & Whitney in Europe, complementing our existing engineering centers in North America, Poland, and across the globe," said Michael Thacker, senior vice president, Engineering and Technology, Pratt & Whitney. "We see significant potential to grow our activities in the Netherlands, given its strong engineering talent pool and long history of aerospace technology innovation, as well as the exceptional opportunities for collaboration between industry, academia and government agencies."
ETIC is co-located at Collins Aerospace's existing European Innovation Hub in Houten, Netherlands, and adds to RTX's longstanding engagement with the Dutch aerospace industry. It follows recent initiatives including RTX's two memoranda of understanding with the Netherlands Aerospace Group and the signing of a master research agreement with Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), which have established a framework for collaboration on technology research across a wide range of topics. Pratt & Whitney has also secured a dedicated office space at TU Delft's Aerospace Innovation Hub, further enhancing opportunities to collaborate in the province of South Holland.
Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, GE Aviation, Safran
Download free sample pages"We are thrilled to take this next step in our collaboration with Pratt & Whitney. Working directly with their new team in Houten will strengthen our partnership, and their dedicated office space at the Aerospace Innovation Hub@TUD on the TU Delft Campus will give them seamless access to our innovation ecosystem," said Professor Henri Werij, Dean of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, TU Delft. "Close collaboration with leading aerospace companies is crucial for developing technologies required to enable a sustainable future of aviation — and to shape the talent that will drive our industry forward."
"I am pleased to see the realization of initiatives like Pratt & Whitney's European Technology and Innovation Center in the Netherlands," said Tjerk Opmeer, deputy director-general for business and innovation, Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands. "This center has the possibility to enhance our shared vision for accelerating sustainable aviation through innovation and international collaboration. We are committed to support these transformative efforts."
Of RTX's 21,000 staff across 65 locations in Europe, some 300 are based in the Netherlands, primarily at three existing Collins Aerospace sites including Houten. Pratt & Whitney already employs more than 7,000 staff in Europe, the majority at key engineering, manufacturing and maintenance facilities in Poland.
