Daher continues implementation of its corporate strategic plan and strengthens its position in the thermoplastic structural components market with the acquisition of KVE Composites Group
Daher, the aircraft manufacturer and industrial equipment and services provider, is pressing ahead with implementation of its Succeed Together Strategic Plan for 2018-2022 structured around three priorities: greater added value; accelerated growth in North America; and establishing itself as the innovation and digital benchmark in all its business sectors.
As part of achieving this ambition, Daher announces its acquisition of KVE Composites Group, a Dutch company specializing in the design, manufacture and assembly of high-performance thermoplastic composite components. At a press conference in Paris, Didier Kayat, Daher CEO stated:
Our strategic plan for 2018-2022 continues to progress as planned, and the Group is on track to capture the value generated by its priority initiatives. In combination with our capital investment program and long-term vision, the commitment, innovative expertise and energy of our teams give me real confidence in the continued growth of Daher.
Didier Kayat, CEO
- The enhanced added value delivered by Daher products and services is clear from:
- Its launch of the TBM 940 very fast turboprop aircraft, featuring the latest innovation in technology and connectivity,
- Its acquisition of KVE Composites Group, which allows the Daher Group to prepare now for the technological revolution of future aircraft programs by delivering weight savings, cost savings and increased recyclability of structural components
- Building on its recognition in the U.S. as an aircraft manufacturer and with the corresponding commercial network, Daher continues to expand in North America with new contracts from Airbus, Pratt & Whitney Canada and Bombardier
- A continuous stream of innovations in smart manufacturing and logistics has earned Daher a Big Data Trophy award and the opportunity to partner with the most promising Blockchain and artificial intelligence startups.
- The family DNA of the Group and its entrepreneurial values are important assets in contributing the agility it needs to make a lasting commitment to the aviation industry’s future.
Success in the challenge of delivering enhanced added value is perfectly illustrated by the launch of the latest addition to the TBM aircraft family: the TBM 940. It features an automated throttle and automatic deicing system, as well as the latest solutions for gathering, processing and sharing flight data. Orders for 25 of these new aircraft already have been booked, and deliveries will begin today.
Enhanced expertise and a comprehensive solution for thermoplastic structural components
As part of extending its leadership in composite materials overall – and thermoplastics in particular – Daher has announced its acquisition of KVE Composites Group to extend Daher’s technical capabilities in aircraft structural components.
With more than 20 years of experience and seven patents filed, KVE Composites Group has developed extensive expertise in the induction welding of thermoplastic composite components. This process paves the way for a reduction of around 75% in the number of rivets traditionally used in the assembly of fuselage structures. In addition to a 15% weight saving, the removal of certain fastener elements saves production and assembly time to deliver an immediate financial gain. Already proven in flight, this process is now in use for several aircraft programs..
KVE Composites Group has two facilities in the Netherlands, which is widely considered as the European hub for thermoplastics research and development.These facilities will furtherstrengthen the engineering and production teams of Daher, which currently is the leading European supplier of thermoplastic components – with 160,000 components produced annually.
“This acquisition is fully consistent with the ongoing implementation of the strategic plan we introduced last year, which aims to establish Daher as a key stakeholder in the market for thermoplastic structural components; a Group with the ability to offer its customers a total solution, from component development and production through to certification and installation. The acquisition of KVE Composites Group will accelerate the development work we are doing on more complex applications of thermoplastic composite materials as part of offering our customers increasingly effective solutions,” said Daher CEO Didier Kayat..
These new materials and their associated technologies will become increasingly important in the aerostructures market because they respond effectively to multiple manufacturer challenges, including weight reduction, lower consumption, productivity and – ultimately – aircraft competitiveness. In this way, Daher is positioning itself as a leading force in this technology, which has the potential to be used for major structural sub-assemblies going forward. As an aircraft manufacturer and industrial company, Daher intends to capitalize on this new technological building block to deliver the best possible response to the issues faced by all of its customers.
Thermoplastic composite materials also have intrinsic qualities that optimize not only component life cycles, but also material usage. In fact, material wastage is 15% lower than with traditional materials. Thermoplastic materials are recyclable and deliver considerable advances in resource conservation.
North American development and the digital dynamic
In North America, the Group has recently engaged in new business opportunities with Airbus, Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney Canada, and is now fully integrated into the Silicon Valley ecosystem with implementation of the Armstrong by Daher innovation program.
Business growth also is being driven by the rapid expansion and integration of disruptive digital technologies. Daher has forged a series of Deep Tech partnerships to accelerate early-stage deployment of Blockchain and artificial intelligence.
