Great Falls is about to get a massive new neighbor. Janicki Industries, a family-owned aerospace and composites firm based in northwest Washington, announced Tuesday it will build an $800 million, multi-building manufacturing campus in the city. The project is slated to add roughly two million square feet of production space over the next decade and could eventually employ thousands of Montana residents. Company officials say construction could start as soon as July, with the first phase expected to open by the end of 2027.
What the announcement says
In a June 2 announcement, the company said the new campus will cover about 180 acres inside Great Falls’ AgriTech Park and is projected to create roughly 1,000 jobs in the first five years and more than 2,000 at full buildout, according to the Governor's Office. Gov. Greg Gianforte’s office touted the project as a major economic win for Montana and highlighted Janicki’s multistate site-selection process that ultimately landed on Great Falls. Company leaders described the Montana expansion as part of a broader growth strategy to meet rising demand from aerospace, defense and space customers.
How the deal landed in Great Falls
The decision followed a months-long site evaluation in which Janicki officials weighed multiple locations before choosing Great Falls. Local leaders and economic development partners had spent years preparing rail-served, shovel-ready parcels in the AgriTech Park, positioning the city to compete for a project of this scale.
This spring, the Great Falls City Commission and Cascade County advanced tax-abatement incentives to help offset site development costs, with public hearings and approvals outlined in coverage by KRTV. The city’s materials list Janicki’s application for a New or Expanding Industry tax benefit at 1900 18th Avenue North, according to the City of Great Falls.
Janicki’s footprint back home
The Montana project comes as Janicki has been steadily expanding its operations in Washington state. The company has added capacity in Sedro-Woolley, Bellingham, Hamilton and Mount Vernon to handle aerospace and defense work. Recent reporting notes upgrades at a large Woburn Street facility in Bellingham and a Mount Vernon building expected to be completed later this summer, and the company now operates more than a million square feet of space and employs thousands across Washington and Utah, according to The Bellingham Herald. Janicki has emphasized that the Montana campus is meant to supplement, not replace, its Washington footprint.
Timeline and next steps
Janicki plans to purchase 180 acres in the AgriTech Park, begin site work in July 2026 and phase construction so the first buildings could open by the end of 2027, the company said. “We are very thankful for our customers and grateful for the employees who continue to meet or exceed our customers’ needs,” Janicki President John Janicki said in the announcement, according to Janicki Industries.
Local reaction
Local officials did not bother hiding their excitement. Great Falls Mayor Cory Reeves and the Great Falls Development Alliance described Janicki’s decision as one of the region’s biggest business wins in recent memory and credited years of groundwork to prepare the AgriTech Park site, according to Montana Free Press. Up in northwest Washington, coverage from KPUG noted that company leaders continue to stress their Washington facilities will keep growing even as they expand into Montana.
Over the coming weeks, city and county officials are expected to work through permitting, infrastructure planning and the tax-benefit ordinance while Janicki finalizes engineering and site plans. Residents who want to dive into the fine print can find project details in the public agenda materials from the City of Great Falls.
