iscover
Australian composites manufacturer Quickstep has opened its Bankstown production facility, and also announced that it has secured a second long term agreement to manufacture parts for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program.
The Bankstown facility was formerly used by Boeing Australia, and comprises a 4000 square metre hangar with $15 million of equipment, while an adjoining office will now become Quickstep’s headquarters.
“This facility represents a quantum leap in Australian advanced composites manufacturing, strengthening our ability to deliver product and technologies to global industries that increasingly source competitively around the world,” said CEO Philippe Odouard.
“We are grateful to the NSW government that substantially participated in the funding of this development.”
The first composite parts will be produced at the facility in the last quarter of this year, replacing production currently done at its North Coogee facility in WA.
The opening of the new facility also came with the news that Quickstep has secured a second long term agreement with Northrop Grumman to manufacture parts for the JSF, following on from its first agreement signed in February 2011. Under the new agreement, Quickstep will provide more complex parts, including portions of the main F-35 structure and supports until 2020, with the first order expected in July.
Quickstep was also recently selected by Lockheed Martin to produce C-130J wing flaps under a five year contract valued at $75-100 million.
