Strata, Solvay joint venture facility completed

Composite aerostructures manufacturer Strata Manufacturing (Al Ain, United Arab Emirates), announced on June 16 the completion of the Strata Solvay Advanced Materials (SSAM) high-tech facility in Al Ain. The new facility represents a joint venture between Strata, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Co. PJSC, and materials and chemical leader Solvay (Brussels, Belgium).

The 8,500-square-meter SSAM facility will supply carbon fiber prepreg materials to the Boeing 777X program for use on primary structure applications, Strata says.

According to Strata, the completion of the facility also represents a first step in the company’s goals toward diversification, making Strata the first supplier of aerospace-grade carbon fiber prepreg in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and the fourth globally.

“The completion of the facility signals a new era for the region’s aerospace sector and cements the UAE’s global aerospace manufacturing capabilities.”

Khalid Al Nuaimi, a Strata engineer, will head the Strata Solvay project and manage communications between the two companies, as well as execute the business plan, budget and purchasing of equipment for the facility. Ghubaisha Al Ameri, currently a quality engineer at Strata, will also transition to the new team.

“This latest milestone achieved by Strata’s ‘Made with Pride in the UAE’ success story is a testament to Mubadala’s growth strategy,” says Badr Al-Olama, chairman of Strata and head of aerospace at Mubadala. “The constant enhancement and expansion of Abu Dhabi’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities reflects our commitment towards product and service excellence for our partners, customers and the global market. We look forward to strengthening our global partnerships as we aim to further grow Abu Dhabi’s participation within the global aerospace supply chain.”

Ismail Ali Abdulla, CEO of Strata, who will be chairman of the board at SSAM, adds, “The completion of the SSAM facility signals a new era for the region’s aerospace sector and cements the UAE’s global aerospace manufacturing capabilities. The manufacturing capabilities that SSAM brings to the region significantly diversifies our product portfolio.”