Hartzell Unveils Innovation Center at Its Ohio HQ

Hartzell Propeller opened its Innovation Center in Piqua, Ohio, with support from a $2 million grant from JobsOhio, the state’s economic development organization. The company has invested $30 million in the facility and equipment and expects to invest more than $10 million over the next five years.

The company secured the grant through JobsOhio’s Research & Development Center Grant Program, which supports corporate R&D centers in the state. As part of the agreement, Hartzell commits to creating jobs and maintaining operations in Ohio. The company currently employs more than 350 people at its headquarters.

Adjacent to Hartzell’s headquarters, the center adds more than 150,000 sq ft. The Piqua facility also houses the company’s carbon fiber propeller production, WhirlWind experimental and airboat propeller manufacturing, and Hartzell’s service center.

“Purpose-built to support the next chapter of advanced propeller innovation, this facility more than quadruples our carbon fiber production footprint and reinforces our ‘Built on Honor’ commitment to quality, performance, and support,” said JJ Frigge, Hartzell Propeller president.

Hartzell earned FAA Part 35 type certification in July 2025 for a five-blade carbon fiber propeller designed for advanced air mobility aircraft, developed in collaboration with Beta Technologies. The companies have worked together on propeller development since 2021.

JobsOhio president and CEO J.P. Nauseef noted that the grant builds on both “Hartzell’s legacy of propeller technology innovation in the region for more than a century,” and Ohio’s investment of more than $1.2 billion in aerospace infrastructure over the past five years. 

“Hartzell Propeller has been a cornerstone of Ohio’s aerospace since the Wright brothers were developing aircraft here, and the company continues to evolve,” said Mike DeWine, Ohio governor. “The newest investment establishing Hartzell’s Innovation Center demonstrates how legacy suppliers are leading the charge in next-generation aviation and supporting Ohio’s position as a leader in aerospace innovation and advanced air mobility.”