Hexcel celebrates opening of new innovation centre in the UK

Hexcel’s new US$10M Innovation Centre in Duxford, UK, was officially opened recently by Marcus Bryson, Chair of the Aerospace Growth Partnership (AGP) and Chair of Aerospace at the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, together with Nick Stanage, Hexcel’s Chairman, CEO and President.

The Duxford site is Hexcel’s largest centre for research into resin systems and adhesives. Hexcel innovations in polymer chemistry and material science, together with advanced fibres from the USA, were instrumental in the company being selected to supply all of the carbon fibre prepregs for the Airbus A350 XWB primary structures. Duxford is also Hexcel’s centre of excellence for process technology including product scale-up and research into new processes for making composite materials, including quality control methods.

The centre supports the growing demand for composite materials for aerospace and industrial markets. The building houses Hexcel’s chemistry and product development functions and is fully equipped with state-of-the-art formulation and analytical laboratories, mixer rooms and microscopy and SEM laboratories.