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Albany plant
Reinforced Plastics Volume 59, Number 2 March/April 2015
BUSINESS
Industrial partners Safran and Albany have inaugurated their new composite part production plant in Commercy, Eastern France. Opened in May 2014, the plant makes parts for new-generation aircraft engines using composite material technology. The first application of this new technology will be the production of fan blades and cases for CFM International’s LEAP aircraft engine, which will power the next generation of single-aisle commercial jets, including the Airbus A320neo and the Boeing 737 MAX. The 3D woven composite parts made by Safran and Albany are very strong and light, which will help reduce the LEAP’s fuel consumption by 15% compared with current CFM engines, the companies say. The joint production plant has recruited more than 90 employees, and by 2018, it will have 400 employees on a 10 ha (25 acre) site, including 27,000 m2 2 (291,600 ft ) of floorspace.
Industrial scale ‘This plant, the concrete symbol of the partnership between Safran and Albany, is the first of its type in the aerospace industry,’ said Joseph G. Morone, president and CEO of Albany International Corp. ‘The manufacturing technology that is being applied here on an industrial scale, and the
BUSINESS
Inauguration of new Safran/Albany plant
The 3D woven composite parts made by Safran and Albany could help reduce the LEAP’s fuel consumption by 15% compared with current CFM engines.
products designed with this technology, are truly innovative. And this specific capability is the exclusive property of Safran and Albany. So today is more than just the inauguration of a modern new plant. It marks the deployment of a unique technology that will have a considerable impact on the market for many years to come.’
The two partners also inaugurated a twin plant in Rochester, New Hampshire in the United States, which will produce the same 3D woven composite parts for the LEAP engine. Safran and Albany have invested a total of US$200 million in these plants. Safran Group; www.safran-group.com Albany International; www.albint.com
Composites expanded by opening a second facility in Sydney in 1980 to service the Australian professional and amateur boatbuilding market. Recently the company has provided composite materials and engineering services for the manufacture of commercial ferries, road and rail transportation, industrial and
architectural applications, resulting in improved performance and reduced production time, while specifically formulated liquid and filled epoxy systems are now supplied into the specialised fields of industrial tooling, electrical encapsulation, mining and automotive applications. ATL Composites; www.atlcomposites.com.au
ed Kingdom, Italy and France. It realizes sales of approximately s90 million with around 70 employees. All employees will on the closing date transfer to the new owner.
Cathay Investments is a UK holding company for a group of companies engaged in chemical distribution and trading. Royal DSM; www.dsm.com
ATL Composites celebrates 35 years ATL Composites says that 2015 marks its 35th anniversary as a producer of epoxy resins and supplier of structural materials to the Australian and Asian composites industries. Initially established in New Zealand in 1977 to manufacture WEST SYSTEM epoxy products for the Asia Pacific region, ATL
DSM to sell resin distributor Royal DSM, the global life and materials sciences company, has reached an agreement with Cathay Investments for the sale of Euroresins. The transaction is expected to close in Q1 2015. Euroresins is a distributor of products to the composite resins industry with activities in nine countries in Europe, including the Unit-
New strategy The sale of Euroresins is in line with the strategic actions DSM is pursuing for composite resins. 73
BUSINESS
Industrial partners Safran and Albany have inaugurated their new composite part production plant in Commercy, Eastern France. Opened in May 2014, the plant makes parts for new-generation aircraft engines using composite material technology. The first application of this new technology will be the production of fan blades and cases for CFM International’s LEAP aircraft engine, which will power the next generation of single-aisle commercial jets, including the Airbus A320neo and the Boeing 737 MAX. The 3D woven composite parts made by Safran and Albany are very strong and light, which will help reduce the LEAP’s fuel consumption by 15% compared with current CFM engines, the companies say. The joint production plant has recruited more than 90 employees, and by 2018, it will have 400 employees on a 10 ha (25 acre) site, including 27,000 m2 2 (291,600 ft ) of floorspace.
Industrial scale ‘This plant, the concrete symbol of the partnership between Safran and Albany, is the first of its type in the aerospace industry,’ said Joseph G. Morone, president and CEO of Albany International Corp. ‘The manufacturing technology that is being applied here on an industrial scale, and the
BUSINESS
Inauguration of new Safran/Albany plant
The 3D woven composite parts made by Safran and Albany could help reduce the LEAP’s fuel consumption by 15% compared with current CFM engines.
products designed with this technology, are truly innovative. And this specific capability is the exclusive property of Safran and Albany. So today is more than just the inauguration of a modern new plant. It marks the deployment of a unique technology that will have a considerable impact on the market for many years to come.’
The two partners also inaugurated a twin plant in Rochester, New Hampshire in the United States, which will produce the same 3D woven composite parts for the LEAP engine. Safran and Albany have invested a total of US$200 million in these plants. Safran Group; www.safran-group.com Albany International; www.albint.com
Composites expanded by opening a second facility in Sydney in 1980 to service the Australian professional and amateur boatbuilding market. Recently the company has provided composite materials and engineering services for the manufacture of commercial ferries, road and rail transportation, industrial and
architectural applications, resulting in improved performance and reduced production time, while specifically formulated liquid and filled epoxy systems are now supplied into the specialised fields of industrial tooling, electrical encapsulation, mining and automotive applications. ATL Composites; www.atlcomposites.com.au
ed Kingdom, Italy and France. It realizes sales of approximately s90 million with around 70 employees. All employees will on the closing date transfer to the new owner.
Cathay Investments is a UK holding company for a group of companies engaged in chemical distribution and trading. Royal DSM; www.dsm.com
ATL Composites celebrates 35 years ATL Composites says that 2015 marks its 35th anniversary as a producer of epoxy resins and supplier of structural materials to the Australian and Asian composites industries. Initially established in New Zealand in 1977 to manufacture WEST SYSTEM epoxy products for the Asia Pacific region, ATL
DSM to sell resin distributor Royal DSM, the global life and materials sciences company, has reached an agreement with Cathay Investments for the sale of Euroresins. The transaction is expected to close in Q1 2015. Euroresins is a distributor of products to the composite resins industry with activities in nine countries in Europe, including the Unit-
New strategy The sale of Euroresins is in line with the strategic actions DSM is pursuing for composite resins. 73