GE expansions to support 600 U.S. jobs

General Electric Co. is building three new U.S. facilities, including a Montana operations center supporting its commercial finance unit based in Fairfield County.

Fairfield-based GE plans to add 150 workers at a yet-to-be-determined city in Montana.

GE is also building a $135 million factory in Troy, N.Y., to make digital X-ray mammography machines, supported by $10 million in incentives from the state of New York. The 150,000-square-foot facility will employ 150 people.

GE plans to hire at least 100 people to work in a planned 200,000-square-foot factory in Batesville, Miss., making jet-engine components. The company received unspecified incentives from the Mississippi Development Authority and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

GE also announced a $45 million expansion of an existing plant in West Jefferson, N.C., which it gained in its recent $4.5 billion acquisition of Smiths Aerospace. GE plans to add at least 200 employees there over the next few years.

In separate GE news, the company was sued for pay discrimination by the Erie, Pa.-based general counsel of its transportation business, with GE saying the $500 million lawsuit is unmerited. Lorene Schaefer is seeking class-action status to represent other female executives, managers and attorneys at GE.