Hartzell Propeller Opens New Innovation Center

Hartzell Propeller has opened the new Hartzell Propeller Innovation Center at the company’s headquarters in Piqua, Ohio.

The center is another example of how Ohio is driving both the general aviation and burgeoning advanced air mobility (AAM) industry, according to company officials, who say the company’s history dates back more than a century with ties to the Wright brothers. It was in 1917 when Orville Wright suggested to Robert Hartzell — already an aircraft owner with dreams of barnstorming — that he utilize the family company’s skills to manufacture propellers from walnut using their craftsmanship and specialized techniques.

“Now more than a century later, the Hartzell Propeller Innovation Center positions Hartzell to advance propeller design and technology for the next 100 years,” company officials said.

The center will be home to all Hartzell carbon fiber propeller production, WhirlWind experimental and airboat propeller production, and the factory’s Hartzell Service Center. The 150,000-square-foot center sits adjacent to the main Hartzell facilities.

During the Feb. 20, 2026, grand opening celebration, the company also accepted a $2 million grant from JobsOhio, a Columbus, Ohio-based organization charged with developing the state’s pro-business climate.

The grant will enable “critical research and development for emerging markets such as Advanced Air Mobility, including our collaboration with BETA Technologies. Together, this investment accelerates our ability to transform ideas into certified, real-world solutions that advance aviation today and well into the future,” said JJ Frigge, President of Hartzell Propeller.

By accepting the grant, Hartzell commits to creating new jobs, keeping equipment and operations in the state, and matching the grant with its own investments. Hartzell has already invested $30 million in the facility and equipment, and it expects to invest more than $10 million in addition over the next five years, according to company officials.

For more information: HartzellProp.com, JobsOhio.com