The investment creates a partnership between Hexcel and OPM, a recognized leader in high performance additive manufacturing (HPAM), to further advance the commercial application of this growing manufacturing technology to serve the aerospace market.

Aerospace market

“Aerospace adoption of reinforced manufactured parts using Hexcel carbon fibre is becoming a viable and meaningful design solution due to its performance and processing advantages,” commented Nick Stanage, Hexcel Chairman, CEO and President.

“With the adoption of these lightweight, high-performing materials expected to accelerate, this is an ideal opportunity for our two companies to work together enabling faster product development and adoption for our customers.”

Hexcel Corporation develops, manufactures and markets lightweight, high-performance structural materials, including carbon fibres, reinforcements, prepregs, honeycomb, matrix systems, adhesives and composite structures, used in commercial aerospace, space and defense and industrial applications such as wind turbine blades.

Joint technology collaboration

“Hexcel represents the gold standard in carbon fibre and composite material technologies, and our core target markets are extremely complementary,” said Scott DeFelice, OPM’s Chairman and CEO. “Hexcel’s investment in OPM will help enable us to further expand production capacity to meet rapidly growing market demand for our OXFAB technology. In addition, this investment sets the stage for joint technology collaboration and business development efforts with Hexcel.”

OPM is a recognized leader in materials technology and high performance additive manufacturing (HPAM), delivering fully functional end-use products to the biomedical, aerospace and industrial markets.

OPM is the only company producing 3D printed PEKK-based products in today’s marketplace, including patient-specific medical implants and strong, lightweight parts for space, defense and commercial aircraft. OPM is privately-owned and based in South Windsor, CT.

www.hexcel.com