Hexcel Officially Opens New Plant in France to Meet Growing Demand for Advanced Composites
SALAISE-SUR-SANNE, France, October 2, 2018 – Hexcel has officially opened its new plant at the Les Roches-Roussillon Chemicals Industry Platform in Isère, France. Attending the event were Muriel Pénicaud, French Labor Minister, Yannick Neuder, Vice-President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region for higher education, research, innovation and European funding, and Nick Stanage, Hexcel Chairman, CEO and President, as well as local dignitaries, Hexcel customers, and media representatives.
The new 37-acre plant is the company's first combined precursor and carbon fiber plant outside the United States. Four years after the project launch, the site is operational and increasing Hexcel’s global carbon fiber production capacity. Hexcel invested 200 million Euros in the plant that will generate 120 direct and 250 indirect jobs. Hexcel’s workforce in France has now risen to 1,200 people with more than 1,000 employees located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
SUPPORTING GROWTH
The new facility is part of Hexcel’s ongoing worldwide investment to create a diversified and robust global supply chain to support aerospace customers’ growing demand for carbon fiber composites. Since 2015, Hexcel has invested in all its locations worldwide, largely to support the growing demand for composites and the development of aerospace industry programs such as Airbus (A350 XWB) and Safran (CFM International LEAP engine).
Thierry Merlot, Hexcel President, Aerospace -- Europe/Asia-Pacific/Middle East/Africa, said: “With this plant, we are responding to the needs of aerospace customers and their growing demand for carbon composite materials.The site has already received its first aerospace certifications.”
REGIONAL FOOTPRINT
Based at the Osiris Chemicals Industry Platform, the location was chosen by Hexcel due to its proximity to Hexcel customers, other Hexcel sites, its quality infrastructure and operational excellence, and the availability of competitively priced electricity in France.
Operating in synergy with Hexcel’s existing sites in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Les Avenières, the biggest carbon fiber weaving plant in Europe, and Dagneux, manufacturer of prepreg fabrics and carbon fibers, the new plant will create a global ecosystem for the high-performance composite materials sector covering the entire production chain from carbon fiber to resin-impregnated fabrics called prepreg.
EFFICIENT EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SYSTEMS
In 2014, Hexcel signed a regional master agreement with Pôle emploi, the French national employment agency, to support its development and hire over 200 employees for its sites in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region through the implementation of job simulation recruitment (MRS).
Mr. Merlot said: “Hexcel has become more attractive in recent years. The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region has provided support with training. New employees have received customized training courses, including onsite training at Hexcel facilities in the United States and Spain.”
INCREASED INVESTMENT IN R&D
Mr. Merlot added: “Today we are able to invest in production capacity thanks to both organic growth and the acquisition of complementary technologies. Recent acquisitions and partnerships have enabled us to diversify and acquire new technology solutions such as additive manufacturing, adhesives, pultrusion processes and thermoplastics. For this purpose, this year we signed a strategic partnership with Arkema to develop carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastics and set up a new joint research and development unit in France.”
The launch of a 3,500m2 R&D center at the Hexcel Les Avenières site is scheduled for the first quarter of 2019. The center will focus on new processes and out-of-autoclave technologies. This will support innovations in high-performance composites and continue to grow its market share in composite materials for aerostructure applications.
Mr. Merlot said: “We are entering a highly active phase of research and development in order to design new generation materials and processes for the engines and aircraft of tomorrow.”
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About Hexcel
Hexcel Corporation is a leading advanced composites company. It develops, manufactures and markets lightweight, high-performance structural materials including carbon fibers, specialty reinforcements, prepregs and other fiber-reinforced matrix materials, honeycomb, adhesives, engineered core and composite structures for use in commercial aerospace, space and defense and industrial applications.
Contact Information
Hexcel • Sophie MEYNIEL, Marketing Communications Manager Aerospace - Europe/MEA/Asia Pacific Sophie.Meyniel@Hexcel.com • Tél : 04 72 25 26 33
APOCOPE • Dorothée DAVID & Marion RISCH
media@agenceapocope.com • Tél : 01 45 78 87 37
