Magellan Advanced Composites Centre Nears Completion

Magellan Aerospace announced in late October 2011 a ribbon cutting ceremony at its 138,000 ft2 facility dedicated to advanced composites manufacturing.

Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the initial launch customer is BAE Systems in the UK. Up to 1038 ship sets of horizontal tail components for the F-35 are planned. At full rate production, the planned delivery rate will be 12 ship sets per month.

Today we are at the point of entering full-scale production and are ready to meet the state-of-the-art processing demands to support the F-35 program. This new facility and its capabilities represent the culmination of over a decade of preparing and planning. This new facility being constructed in Winnipeg is a celebration of over a decade of nurturing this strategic opportunity

said Magellan’s President and CEO, Jim Butyniec at the event.

Magellan partnered with the federal government of Canada, provincial government of Manitoba and the city of Winnipeg which provided support in the form of repayable government loans, as well as assistance with land titles and acquisition. Magellan provided the majority of the investment capital for the building.

The major equipment in the Advanced Composite Manufacturing Centre includes a DST Precision Milling Machine, a Zeiss Coordinate Measurement Machine (CMM), and a Par Laser Non-Destructive Inspection facility. The centre will also include autoclaves, post-cure ovens, and clean room assembly facilities, along with a temperature-controlled Structures Assembly facility.

Training is just as essential as capital equipment: Magellan worked in cooperation with the local Red River Community College to develop a training program for working with advanced composite materials for employees and the local workforce, according to the company.

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