Duxford is Hexcel’s largest center for research into resin systems and adhesives and is also the company’s center of excellence for process technology, including 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 expand its R&T expertise. The aim is to develop technologies that will enable composite materials to penetrate further in aerospace structures and in selected industrial applications for energy, automotive and other industrial markets. Construction of the Innovation Center is scheduled for completion in 2016.
Additional investments at Hexcel Duxford include the expansion of and filming systems to support large scale production of the 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.
Honeycomb capacity
The company has also announced that it will invest in a new prepreg tower and expand its honeycomb capacity 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.
Hexcel also plans to add up to 100 jobs to the Duxford workforce by 2017.