Solvay, Spirit collaborate to accelerate composites adoption

Solvay (Alpharetta, Ga., U.S.) has strengthened its relationship with Spirit AeroSystems (Europe) Ltd. (Prestwick, Scotland) as it becomes a strategic partner of Spirit’s Aerospace Innovation Centre (AIC) in Prestwick, Scotland. The AIC facilitates collaborative research into sustainable aircraft technologies and processes with Spirit’s industrial, academic and supply-chain partners. Both companies intend to further engage on composite development opportunities to meet the performance, cost and production-rate requirements of future aircraft.

“Solvay’s product development leadership and our best-in-class, U.K.-based Application Center will be key in contributing to the development of future-proofed, industrial-ready technologies in this exciting cooperation with Spirit,” says Rob Blackburn, head of global customer engineering aerospace and defense at Solvay Materials Global Business Unit.

The collaborators aim to develop advanced manufacturing concepts and secure a step change in composite fabrication, automation and assembly technologies to de-risk and shorten the development cycle. Further strategic alignment on future innovation will also be explored.

“Solvay’s expertise in product development, combined with our own capabilities in advanced manufacturing and aerospace design, will allow us to create new technologies and processes that will push the industry forward,” Jahan Ali, director of research and technology, Europe at Spirit AeroSystems, believes. “Spirit looks forward to continued collaboration with Solvay as we work towards achieving shared goals of enhanced performance, sustainability and competitiveness on future aircraft platforms.”

Solvay joins other similar AIC collaborations, including Teijin and Hexcel.