Janicki Industries Great Falls: What Homebuyers and Sellers Should Know
Janicki Industries is building an $800 million advanced manufacturing campus in Great Falls on 180 acres at AgriTech Park.
The first building is scheduled to open by the end of 2028. Janicki expects to hire about 200 people at the start, 1,000 within five years and more than 2,000 when the campus is complete.
For housing, the short version is this. Demand will rise before supply does. The Great Falls Association of Realtors already estimates the city is 630 homes a year short of what it needs.
If you own a home, that favors you. If you are buying or renting, it means planning earlier than you might have otherwise.
Everything below is sourced and dated. Where a number has changed since the June announcement, the newer figure is used.
Ask Chris a question about buying or selling in Great Falls →
The project in numbers
| What | Figure |
|---|---|
| Investment | $800 million |
| Site | 180 acres within the AgriTech Park, south of 18th Avenue |
| Production space | 1.6 million square feet of production space, built in phases over ten years |
| First phase of the campus opens | By end of 2028 |
| Initial hiring | Roughly 200 |
| New jobs within five years | 1,000 |
| Jobs at full campus completion | 2,000 or more |
| What they make | Composite and metal tooling, parts and assemblies for aerospace, defense and space |
All figures verified October 22, 2026 against Janicki’s Montana page, which the company updates as the project moves. Two figures have changed since the June 2 announcement. Early coverage said 2 million square feet and a 2027 opening. Janicki now says 1.6 million square feet and end of 2028.
Who Janicki is
Janicki Industries is a privately owned engineering and manufacturing company founded in 1993 in Sedro-Woolley, Washington. It designs and builds composite and metal tooling, parts and prototypes for aerospace, defense and space customers, and describes itself as one of the largest privately owned Tier 1 aerospace suppliers in the country.
The company has about 2,000 employees across its Washington and Utah facilities. Great Falls is its first location in Montana and its first campus outside those two states. President John Janicki led the site search.
Timeline so far
- April 17, 2026: Janicki announces it is choosing between Great Falls and Twin Falls, Idaho.
- June 2, 2026: Janicki selects Great Falls for the $800 million investment. Governor Greg Gianforte and the Great Falls Development Alliance announce it the same day.
- July 10, 2026: Janicki Industries breaks ground at AgriTech Park.
- 2026: Janicki opens a downtown Great Falls office for its construction and design teams.
- End of 2028: First building scheduled to open.
- Through roughly 2036: Additional phases as hiring and customer demand grow.
Who Janicki says it will hire
This matters more for housing than the headline job count.
Janicki says it will recruit from Great Falls and the surrounding region first, and expects to create new jobs in manufacturing and production, engineering and skilled trades. Some positions will not require manufacturing experience. The company plans training and workforce development partnerships with Montana State University, MSU Northern and Montana Technological University.
Janicki has also said it intends to recruit service members separating from Malmstrom Air Force Base and spouses of those stationed there.
Expected roles include skilled trades, production, engineering, quality assurance, maintenance, logistics and administrative work.
What this means: the first wave of hires will be mostly people who already live here and are changing jobs. Transfers from Janicki’s Washington and Utah campuses are likely to come later and in smaller numbers.
Where AgriTech Park is
AgriTech Park is on the east side of Great Falls, south of 18th Avenue. Janicki is one of several tenants in the industrial park.
Drive times from most of the city are under 20 minutes. A full table by area is in our AgriTech Park commute guide.
What this means if you are buying
Inventory is the constraint, not Janicki.
Great Falls had 136 active listings in October 2026, according to the Montana Regional MLS. The Great Falls Association of Realtors has said the city needs about 630 new units a year to keep up. That gap is the story.
Janicki’s hiring starts in 2028. Nineteen housing projects are in predevelopment in the city, according to city officials, and some of those will deliver before then. Whether supply catches up is an open question.
Practical steps:
- Get pre-approved before you start looking. In a low-inventory market the buyer who can move first usually wins.
- Decide your must-haves early. Compromising on a second bathroom is easier than losing three houses in a row.
- If you are relocating, start the conversation before your move date. Remote showings and closings are routine here.
If you are renting now and wondering whether to buy, our rent vs buy guide walks through the math with current numbers.
Start a buyer search with Jamie →
What this means if you are selling
A projected shortage is good for sellers. A projected shortage is also a projection.
Here is what is true today. Inventory is low. Homes that are priced right move quickly. That is a seller’s position regardless of what Janicki does.
Here is what is not known. Whether Janicki’s hiring will push prices up, by how much and when. Anyone who tells you a number is guessing.
The real question for most sellers is not “should I wait for the boom.” It is “where will I live next.” If your next home is also in Cascade County, you are buying into the same tight market you are selling out of.
Our guide on selling now vs waiting lays out the scenarios.
What is your home worth? Chris will text you a range. →
What this means if you rent
Rental vacancy in Great Falls was under 5 percent in January 2026, according to KRTV, one of the lowest rates in the city’s history.
New employers tend to tighten rentals before they tighten sales, because new hires rent first.
If you are renting and your lease renews in 2027 or 2028, it is worth knowing your options now. Some renters will find buying is within reach with a first-time buyer program. Our first-time homebuyer guide covers what is available in Montana.
Frequently Asked Questions
A manufacturing campus for composite and metal tooling, parts and assemblies used in aerospace, defense and space programs. The campus will total 1.6 million square feet when complete.
The first building is scheduled to open by the end of 2028. Later phases follow over roughly ten years.
About 200 at opening, 1,000 within five years and more than 2,000 when the campus is complete, according to Janicki.
AgriTech Park, south of 18th Avenue on the east side of the city. The company also has a downtown office during construction.
Not as of October 2026. Janicki says job postings will be announced as construction progresses. The company's Montana page is the place to check.
Nobody knows by how much. Local realtors expect demand to increase and have said the city is already short on housing. How prices respond depends on how much new construction arrives before 2028.
No for some roles. Janicki says it expects to offer positions for people new to manufacturing who can learn on the job.
No. Janicki says the Great Falls campus adds capacity and does not replace its Washington or Utah facilities.
Talk to us
Chris Burton is a U.S. Air Force veteran with Painted Sky Realty Group, Keller Williams Northern Montana Realty. Jamie Burton works with buyers and first-time homebuyers.
Text or call Chris: 406-781-1111
Text or call Jamie: 406-899-9724
Ask a question about Great Falls
Painted Sky Realty Group, Keller Williams Northern Montana Realty
Or read the full Relocating to Great Falls guide.
Sources
- Janicki, Montana page: https://www.janicki.com/montana/ (modified Sept 10, 2026)
- Janicki, about page (founding, ownership, employee count): https://www.janicki.com/about-us/
- Janicki, site selection announcement, June 2, 2026: https://www.janicki.com/janicki-selects-great-falls-montana/
- Janicki, groundbreaking, July 11, 2026: https://www.janicki.com/montana-groundbreaking/
- Office of the Governor, June 2, 2026: https://news.mt.gov/Governors-Office/Gov-Gianforte-Announces-Janicki-Industries-Selects-Great-Falls-for-800-Million-Manufacturing-Facility
- Great Falls Development Alliance, Janicki FAQ: https://growgreatfallsmontana.org/janicki-great-falls-montana-campus/
- KRTV, housing shortage and GFAR figures, September 2026: https://www.krtv.com/news/is-great-falls-ready-for-its-housing-crunch-realtors-say-the-city-is-at-a-turning-point
- KRTV, community forum and hiring details, July 2026: https://www.krtv.com/news/janicki-industries-breaks-ground-in-great-falls-community-wants-answers
- KRTV, listing counts and vacancy, January 2026: https://www.krtv.com/news/great-falls-news/why-housing-affordability-can-be-challenging-in-great-falls
Last updated October 24, 2026.
Chris Burton
Chris Burton is a US Air Force veteran and licensed real estate agent specializing in military relocations to Great Falls, Montana and Malmstrom Air Force Base. Chris helps service members navigate PCS moves, VA loans and the unique challenges of relocating to or from Montana. Chris brings 28 years of HVAC industry experience to every transaction, allowing him to identify potential home system issues that other agents might miss. Combined with his software development background, Chris uses custom tools and data-driven analysis to give clients a competitive edge in the market. Having lived through multiple PCS moves himself, Chris understands the stress of military timelines and remote house hunting. He knows how BAH rates align with local housing costs, and how to make the process straightforward when time is limited. Chris co-owns Painted Sky Realty Group with his business partner Jamie Burton, serving Great Falls and all surrounding Cascade County communities.