GREAT FALLS — Excavators lined a 180-acre field at the AgriTech Park on Friday as Janicki Industries officially broke ground on what is expected to become the company’s largest manufacturing campus.
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The project represents an estimated $800 million investment and could bring more than 2,000 jobs to Great Falls over the next decade. Plans also call for roughly 1.6 million square feet of production space.
Janicki is an engineering and manufacturing company that produces large-scale tooling, parts, prototypes and assemblies for customers in aerospace, defense, space and other industries.
“We’re super excited being in Montana, especially in Great Falls,” said John Janicki, president of the company. “We checked out the whole state.”
The groundbreaking was ceremonial, but Janicki said the work will not stay that way for long. Construction is expected to begin Monday, July 13, with noticeable activity at the site almost immediately.
“We’re going to have a lot of construction in the next six months, for sure,” he said. “We’re moving dirt right away.”
He explained that the company plans to start with one building, but he emphasized it is a multi-year project.
“We’re going to have three buildings probably built in the next three years,” Janicki said. “And then we’re just going to keep building. We might build faster.”
According to the company's website, the first phase is expected to open by the end of 2027, and the company anticipates beginning operations with about 200 employees, then adding more workers as additional buildings and production lines come online.
Hiring and training will begin before the first building is finished, allowing Janicki to prepare employees ahead of the launch of operations.
Janicki estimated that 85% to 90% of the people expected to work at the campus already live in Montana. He said workforce availability and housing were important factors as the company considered where to build.
The company plans to work with Montana universities on internships, career fairs and workforce-development programs. It also intends to recruit transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses.
Great Falls stood out for more than its workforce. Janicki also pointed to available land, educational partnerships and community support. Much of the zoning and site preparation required for development had already been completed at the AgriTech Park.
Great Falls Mayor Cory Reeves said the effort to bring Janicki to the city involved the city, Cascade County, the Great Falls Development Alliance, local schools, state officials and military leadership.
“They didn’t have to pick us,” Reeves said. “We were well aware of our competition, but they found something they loved about the people in Great Falls and our work ethic.”
The impact, Reeves explained, will begin before the first permanent manufacturing jobs arrive. Construction is expected to create years of work for contractors and laborers, with local workers and companies involved whenever possible.
City and county leaders also believe the project could draw aerospace customers, suppliers and other businesses to Great Falls, extending its economic reach beyond the campus itself.
“When they say that we’re going to be the epicenter, if you will, of the world for aerospace, it’s a league we can’t even fully comprehend right now,” Reeves said.
He said that growth could bring more business to hotels, restaurants and other local services while strengthening the city’s tax base over time.
Specific hiring dates and job postings have not yet been announced, but the company says updates will be released as construction progresses.
