Airtech Europe celebrates its milestone moment: 20 years of successful story in Luxembourg

Airtech Europe – A success story in Luxembourg

Situated in Differdange, in the South of the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, Airtech Europe is a manufacturer and supplier of vacuum bagging  and composite tooling materials serving the composite, bonding and tooling industry.

Airtech Europe was founded in 1991 and is a division of « Airtech Advanced Materials Group », whose headquarter is located in Huntington Beach, California. Founded by William Dahlgren in  1973, Airtech is a family owned company.

To better answer to the increasing demand of the industry of composite materials in the 90s, the headquarter decided to establish a division in Europe. The site of Differdange was chosen further to the proposal on behalf of the Luxemburg Ministry of Economics.

Airtech Europe had initially begun its activity with 6 employees and a building of 3 300 m ² surface. Growing fast, the double of this initial surface was needed. In 2001, the company enlarged the zone of storage and production to reach a total surface of 6 300 m². Rapidly expanding during the last years, the offices became too small. The company added an office building of 1 000 m² to the complex, reaching a total surface of 7 300 m². On July 6th, Airtech Europe inaugurates the new administration building and celebrates its 15th anniversary. Mr. Jeannot Krécké, Luxembourg Minister of Economy, cuts the ribbon in front of about 80 distributors, managers and regional politicians. Nowadays Airtech Europe occupies a surface of 15 100 m ² and does not stop developing.

« We are very proud of such a growth in our domain. When I began to work in the aeronautics 30 years ago, we did not speak about composite materials yet and we were far from imagining itself « , declares Mr. Stratmann, General manager of Airtech Europe.

With a current strength of more than 450 employees in the group, 112 working in Luxemburg, Airtech is the leading manufacturer and supplier of auxiliary materials for the composite, bonding and tooling industry. Always listening to the needs of customers, the technical and commercial teams travel worldwide to answer the increasing requirements.

« The enquiries presented from our customers show that the composites materials are on its way to be established in almost all industrial areas. It further shows that Airtech could reinforce its position as a leader in vacuum bagging and composite tooling technology by investing in the right material developments and production methods.”, confirms Wolfgang Stratmann.

To propose competitive products, the company invests regularly in modern production equipment and high technologies. Last year Airtech Europe has invested in a new, huge ply cutter machine that is 6m wide x 36m long, which allows to produce all requested shapes on almost all vacuum bagging materials. This machine is an important element to meet the permanently growing demands for kitted products.

“Reaching this milestone, 20 Years of Excellence and Innovation in the composite market, can be credited to our loyal distributors, customers and suppliers and to our employees, who are the cornerstone of our company. “ Mr. Stratmann concludes.

The whole team of Airtech Europe wants to express its gratitude to all valuable customers, partners and suppliers for their support and their confidence during the past 20 years and is looking forward for the next 20 years!

« We honour the past but we always launch the future »

About composite materials

Due to their good mechanical behavior and their very low weight, the use of composite materials is increasing more and more.  The composite material is an assembly of at least two materials which do not mix together but which have nevertheless a strong capacity of adhesion. The new material so formed has properties not existing for the single elements.

It is constituted by a structure called reinforcement (eg fiberglass or carbon fiber) which assures the mechanical holding and of a protection called matrix (eg resins polyester, vinylester or epoxy) which assures the cohesion of the structure.

This phenomenon, which allows low weight and rigidity, explains the increasing use of composite materials, in various branches of industry. They are primarily used in the air transport (civil and military), aerospace, maritime and railroad, building industry, as well as the sports and the leisure activities. Other domains, as for example medicine or electronic sector, have also begun to use composite materials.

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