GKN Aerospace and Airbus Helicopters sign strategic partnership

-

During the official visit of the Dutch royal couple to the Airbus site in Toulouse on 1 October, #GKNAerospace and #Airbus Helicopters signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening their industrial collaboration on the H225M Caracal military transport helicopter programme. This multi-role twin-engine helicopter is designed for transport, combat search and rescue (CSAR) and military support missions.


The agreement extends the one signed in 2023 between Airbus Helicopters and GKN’s Dutch subsidiary, GKN Fokker, covering advanced #composite technologies and #electricalwiringsystems (EWIS).

It follows on from the order placed in November 2024 by the Dutch Ministry of Defence for 12 H225M Caracal helicopters. According to the joint press release, it aims to ‘advance the development of critical systems such as onboard electrical networks and advanced composite technologies for the H225M’, while creating a broader basis for cooperation within European defence aeronautics.


The signing also highlighted the strategic importance of industrial links between Airbus, the Netherlands and the Dutch aerospace ecosystem, and represents a concrete step towards European strategic autonomy.


Two complementary players:

The 2025 agreement strengthens the cooperation initiated in 2023 between Airbus Helicopters and GKN Fokker, which already covered the engineering, design and production of EWIS systems and aeronautical structures. It also symbolises the convergence between Airbus’ industrial ambitions and GKN Aerospace’s technological expertise, at a time when European sovereignty in defence and aeronautical innovation is becoming crucial.


Based in Marignane (France), Airbus Helicopters recorded 455 net orders and delivered 361 aircraft in 2024, representing approximately 57% of the global civil market. A Tier 1 supplier specialising in aeronautical structures, engine systems and electrical technologies, GKN Aerospace has a presence in 12 countries with more than 16,000 employees. Its Dutch subsidiary, GKN Fokker, has more than 3,500 employees in the Netherlands, notably in Papendrecht and Hoogeveen. These sites are at the heart of R&D on thermoplastic composites and high-voltage electrical wiring.


source: GKN Aerospace/ Jeccomposites

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ENVALIOR ANNOUNCES NEW PPS COMPOUNDING FACILITY IN EUROPE

-
Image
Envalior launches new PPS compounding facility in Uerdingen, Germany. New facility supports growing demand for Xytron™ in Europe and the Americas. To better serve growing customer demand in Europe and the Americas, Envalior – a global leader in sustainable and high-performance engineering materials – announces that it will invest in a PPS (Polyphenylene Sulfide) compounding facility in Europe. Envalior’s PPS material Xytron™ combines a strong set of properties, including excellent chemical and hydrolysis resistance at elevated temperatures, extremely stable heat aging performance up to 240°C, very good and stable electrical properties at elevated temperatures, low moisture absorption with high dimensional stability, and inherent flame retardance that meets UL94 V0.  Since 2016, when Xytron™ entered the market, the PPS material has built a strong track record across OEMs and tier customers. The new facility will provide local supply and additional services to customers in Europe whi...
Read more

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : What Is Going Wrong in UK Plastics Recycling?

-
Image
Today's KNOWLEDGE Share What Is Going Wrong in UK Plastics Recycling? Biffa shut its Sunderland plant. Viridor walked away from Avonmouth and Rochester. Yes Recycling Fife collapsed within a year. All three were backed by major investments All three had buyers lined up for recyclate All three are now offline This is not bad luck It is bad structure Over the next four posts I will break down: 1. Why cheap virgin imports are undercutting UK recyclers 2. How weak policy enforcement is fuelling market failure 3. What volatile PRNs and cheap exports are doing to infrastructure 4. Why demand from brands is softer than their promises Let’s start with the first: **Cheap Virgin Resin = Broken Economics** Virgin PE, PP, and PET have been flooding the global market. New capacity in Asia and the US has driven prices down 30 to 40 percent. Meanwhile, recycled plastic costs more to produce in the UK than it can sell for. We are asking UK recyclers to compete with materials made in places with – ...
Read more

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Robotic 3D printing can compete with traditional boatbuilding

-
Image
Today's KNOWLEDGE Share “Robotic 3D printing can compete with traditional boatbuilding”, Simone Barbera and Mattia De Santis, Caracol V2 catamaran was printed in Italy at Caracol’s production center and headquarter in Barlassina, near Milan, with a Heron AM 400, Caracol’s robotic Large Format Additive Manufacturing (LFAM) platform. The lattest was specifically configured with a 7-axis robotic arm mounted on a rail, enabling the printing of parts up to 10 meters in length. How did the collaboration between V2 Group and Caracol come about? Simone Barbera : The collaboration between V2 Group and Caracol originated from a shared vision to revolutionize boat manufacturing through sustainable innovation. V2 Group, a Spanish-company specialized in nautical design and engineering, is seeking to develop electric vessels manufactured sustainably. On the other hand, Caracol, leader in robotic advanced manufacturing technology, had had years of experience working with Large Format Additive Ma...
Read more