AGC Aerospace & Defense is pleased to announce that Steve Smith has joined the company as President of Europe, Middle East and Asia (EMEA) of its Composites & Aerostructures Group. He will lead AGC’s continued global development of its engineering and manufacturing business that commenced with the acquisition of Paul Fabrications in the U.K.

“Steve is a welcome addition to the team and we are pleased he has joined us to lead our efforts as we continue to move into the European, Middle East and Asian markets,” said Rick Armstrong, President & CEO of AGC Composites & Aerostructures. “We are looking to expand our footprint in new and unproven marketplaces and Steve’s prior successes and experience position him to effectively lead and augment our global presence.”

“Steve’s industry experience and disciplined approach to joint ventures and acquisitions will be vital to succeed as we further position our brand as a global leader in the aerospace and defense sectors,” added Armstrong.

Prior to joining AGC, Mr. Smith was the Vice President of Procurement for GKN Aerospace Europe responsible for an annual budget spend of $700M, across its 10 manufacturing facilities.

“I’m honoured to become a team member of a true global leader in a time of strategic expansion into new marketplaces. These marketplaces represent tremendous opportunity for capturing untapped revenue streams as the group continues its growth strategy,” stated Smith.

During his 23 year tenure at GKN Smith held various positions, working through contract & program management, estimating, strategy & business development and procurement. Notably, Smith worked a 5-year assignment in the U.S. and was appointed as a director of the Composite Blade Joint Venture between GKN and Rolls Royce. Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Swansea University.

AGC Composites & Aerostructures, part of the AGC Aerospace & Defense portfolio, is jointly owned by The Edgewater Funds and Acorn Growth Companies. Its specialized products and capabilities include custom, weight-saving composite structures for legacy weapon systems, composite details and assemblies for aircraft currently in production, precision exotic metal assemblies for aircraft engines, and aircraft structural fusion welding (ASFW) on alloy metal parts for aftermarket spare programs.