Hexcel Corp to set up new R&T facility at Duxford site
November 17, 2014 - United Kingdom
Hexcel Corporation, a leading advanced composites manufacturing company, held a ground-breaking ceremony for a new £6 million R&T facility at its Duxford, UK site.
Alongside, it will also invest in capacity expansions at the site, which will add up to 100 jobs to the Duxford workforce by 2017.
Duxford is Hexcel’s largest centre for research into resin systems and adhesives. The site is also Hexcel’s centre of excellence for process technology.
This includes product scale-up and research into new process methods for making composite materials, including quality control methods.
Hexcel decided to create a new dedicated facility to house all chemistry functions and to further expand R&T expertise.
It will also continue the development of leading edge technologies that will enable composite materials to penetrate further in aerospace structures and for other sectors.
“Construction of the Innovation Centre is scheduled for completion in 2016,” Hexcel said.
Additional investments at Duxford include expanding its mixing and filming systems, to support large scale production of composite materials required for the Airbus A350 XWB program.
Resin films produced in Hexcel Duxford are combined with carbon fiber and converted into unidirectional prepreg at Hexcel plants in France, Spain, Germany and the USA.
Hexcel has also announced that it will invest in a new prepreg tower and honeycomb capacity expansions at Duxford.
The prepreg tower is expected to be qualified by early 2017 to support the increasing demand for aerospace programs including the A350 XWB.
Increased honeycomb capacity is required to meet the growing demand for these lightweight core materials that provide superior stiffness in sandwich constructions.
The Duxford plant manufactures resin films, structural adhesives, non-metallic honeycombs and a range of prepregs.
Key applications for products made at Hexcel's Duxford site are commercial aerospace primary and secondary structures, helicopters, defense aircraft and aero-engines.
The site currently employs 550 people and had a turnover of $260 million in 2013. (AR)
Alongside, it will also invest in capacity expansions at the site, which will add up to 100 jobs to the Duxford workforce by 2017.
Duxford is Hexcel’s largest centre for research into resin systems and adhesives. The site is also Hexcel’s centre of excellence for process technology.
This includes product scale-up and research into new process methods for making composite materials, including quality control methods.
Hexcel decided to create a new dedicated facility to house all chemistry functions and to further expand R&T expertise.
It will also continue the development of leading edge technologies that will enable composite materials to penetrate further in aerospace structures and for other sectors.
“Construction of the Innovation Centre is scheduled for completion in 2016,” Hexcel said.
Additional investments at Duxford include expanding its mixing and filming systems, to support large scale production of composite materials required for the Airbus A350 XWB program.
Resin films produced in Hexcel Duxford are combined with carbon fiber and converted into unidirectional prepreg at Hexcel plants in France, Spain, Germany and the USA.
Hexcel has also announced that it will invest in a new prepreg tower and honeycomb capacity expansions at Duxford.
The prepreg tower is expected to be qualified by early 2017 to support the increasing demand for aerospace programs including the A350 XWB.
Increased honeycomb capacity is required to meet the growing demand for these lightweight core materials that provide superior stiffness in sandwich constructions.
The Duxford plant manufactures resin films, structural adhesives, non-metallic honeycombs and a range of prepregs.
Key applications for products made at Hexcel's Duxford site are commercial aerospace primary and secondary structures, helicopters, defense aircraft and aero-engines.
The site currently employs 550 people and had a turnover of $260 million in 2013. (AR)