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Official opening of Quickstep's facilities at Bankstown airport

25 Jun '12

5 min read

Quickstep, the manufacturer of advanced carbon fibre composites for the aerospace and automotive industries, announced the opening of its new manufacturing facility at Sydney's Bankstown Airport. The facility will supply components to aerospace leaders Northrop Grumman Corporation and Lockheed Martin.

The ability to manufacture high-technology composites has enabled Quickstep to win major aerospace contracts in internationally competitive tenders. Quickstep has already commenced production on the first phase of commercial production of F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter parts. This work is expected to generate up to $700 million over 20 years. In March 2012, Quickstep was selected by Lockheed Martin to supply composite wing flaps for the C-130J Hercules military transport aircraft - valued at $75 million to $100 million to Quickstep over five years.

Further substantial opportunities are under discussion now that its Bankstown facilities are coming on line. Opened by NSW Premier, Barry O'Farrell and Mr Gary Ervin, President of Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems Division, the facility houses high-tech equipment to manufacture carbon fibre components that are typically half the weight of a comparably strong steel part.

“We congratulate Quickstep on this new facility, said Mr O'Farrell. This is one of the world's most advanced carbon fibre component manufacturing plants and a great example of high technology bringing international work to NSW. With this facility, Quickstep will be the largest independent aerospace composites manufacturer in Australia.”

“Northrop Grumman is honoured to be part of this opening ceremony,” said Mr Ervin. “This new facility is just one example of the investments Quickstep has made in the last two years in preparation for executing F-35 work. It's a testament to the strong partnership Northrop Grumman has with Quickstep in producing the F-35 centre fuselage, as well as the Governments of Australia and New South Wales in establishing this critical composite manufacturing capability in Australia.”

Philippe Odouard, Managing Director of Quickstep, said that the new plant and the jobs that it creates demonstrated Quickstep's successful relationship with Northrop Grumman Corporation and Lockheed Martin, and capacity to become an integral part of the global supply chain for high volume manufacturing industries.

“This facility represents a quantum leap in Australian advanced composites anufacturing, strengthening our ability to deliver product and technologies to global industries that increasingly source competitively around the world. We are grateful to the NSW government that substantially participated in the funding of this development,” he said.

Quickstep will also conduct research and development to licence its unique and patented composites manufacturing process. The company has a significant opportunity to earn income through equipment supply, services and licence fees. New emissions legislation in the US and Europe drastically reduces the allowed carbon dioxide emission per kilometre, with objectives that can only be met with weight reduction.

This has triggered a significant automotive sector interest in carbon fibre cars, and Quickstep is already working with Audi. The Quickstep Process can develop high quality finish, inexpensive, lightweight, strong composites manufactured rapidly and in volume that can contribute significantly to fuel efficiency, as composites are much lighter than metal components.

The Bankstown facility comprises a 4000 square metre hangar with $15 million of the latest state of the art manufacturing equipment and infrastructure along with a 1250 square metre office, which now becomes Quickstep's headquarters. Quickstep has substantial additional capacity for further expansion.

Quickstep is an Australian company at the forefront of advanced composites anufacturing and technology development. The Company has significant capabilities and expertise in the production of high-end advanced composites for aerospace, defence and automotive use, and is creating a unique advanced composites manufacturing business in Australia using both traditional autoclave and its own worldleading non-autoclave production technologies.