Collins Aerospace bags Dutch Thermoplastic in bid for lighter aircraft structures
US-based aerospace company Collins Aerospace has acquired Dutch Thermoplastic Components in a bid to build lighter, more efficient and more sustainable aircraft structures as part of a wider scheme to cut emissions across the entire sector.
The acquisition expands the US aviation giant’s capability to use advanced thermoplastics to make aircraft more fuel-efficient in the long term.
The Biden administration recently pledged for the aviation sector to operate at net-zero emissions by 2050, and making more efficient aircraft offers a good starting point to begin slashing the number of greenhouse gases pumped into the atmosphere.
Read more: US to target net-zero aviation emissions
Dutch Thermoplastic, which is headquartered near Amsterdam, specialises in the development and fabrication of structural thermoplastic composite parts. Thermoplastic parts can be manufactured in minutes and the process can be easily automated, which makes thermoplastic composites an ideal material for high-rate aircraft production.
Thermoplastics are lighter than conventional aircraft materials and require fewer fasteners, which further reduces weight and required maintenance.
"DTC began in 1998 with the production of the landing flap ribs of the Dornier 328 jet and today we are producing more than 2,000 unique part numbers for more than a dozen commercial and business aviation platforms," said David Manten, managing director at DTC.
“With this acquisition, we are adding a new chapter to our story. Our team of driven and skilled experts are all excited to become part of the Collins family, and for the opportunity to leverage our technology, knowledge and experience for new and even more challenging projects that will help shape the future for commercial aerospace.”
Collins Aerospace, a unit of Raytheon Technologies Corp., is a major provider of technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defence industry.
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"This acquisition underscores our commitment to using advanced materials and processes to address key areas of importance for our customers: weight reduction for fuel savings, reliability improvements, and sustainable practices across the entire product lifecycle," affirmed Marc Duvall, president of Aerostructures for Collins Aerospace.
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