Aug 7 2007
The Carbon Company - announced today that its US-Los Angeles based subsidiary HITCO Carbon Composites, Inc. entered into a long-term contract with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., to become a supplier of composite floor beams for an aircraft fuselage section of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The composite floor beams will be produced using HITCO’s recently acquired Automated Tape Lay-up machine. HITCO, with the support of its parent SGL Group are spearheading an aggressive new growth strategy. Edward Carson, HITCO’s Chief Operating Officer stated: “Composites are finally being recognized for their superior properties in the aerospace industry. HITCO’s enhanced capabilities enable us to become the best Tier II supplier in the aerospace industry.” Increasing the design engineering capabilities, and automating production lines, along with the predominance in the hand lay-up of complex components due to lean manufacturing techniques, places HITCO in the forefront of most modern composite technologies.
The Company is adding state-of-the-art equipment such as its new Cincinnati Machine “Charger” Automated Tape Lay-up machine, and the new Viper 6000 Automated Fiber Placement machine. To accommodate even more automated production equipment, HITCO is modernizing and upgrading its ample production facilities. These new capabilities enable the Company to make strategic agreements with the Tier I suppliers to the major OEMs of the world as well as the military prime contractors. “We seek long-term production ‘carve-out’ contracts that will continue HITCO's role as a leader in the composite manufacturing industry”, stated Edward G. Carson.
HITCO Carbon Composites, Inc. was founded in 1922 and manufactures advanced composite materials primarily for aerospace and defense applications and is part of the SGL Groups Business Unit Carbon Fibers and Composites (CFC). HITCO continues to be an innovative leader in the advancement of carbon composite technologies and continues to strategically focus within the SGL Group on new projects for aerospace/aircraft and defense applications.