Growth in composite engine components drives Meggitt site expansion

Meggitt Polymers & Composites (MPC), a business unit of Meggitt PLC, has signed a lease to relocate to a single 120,000 sq ft facility on Top Gun Street, less than a quarter mile away from its current location at Heater Court in the Sorrento Valley/Mira Mesa area of San Diego. The current location comprises 70,000 sq ft over two less-efficient buildings.

The relocation and expansion coincides with the ramp-up of the F35 combat fighter aircraft program for which Meggitt manufactures engine components and other structures. However, the larger facility includes capacity for expansion into the high growth market of composite components for commercial aircraft.

Mike Louderback, MPC Site Leader, commented, “Aircraft manufacturers are in a race to convert as much metal to composite as possible because the reduction in weight saves fuel and production costs are much less.”

Meggitt's advanced composites capability was expanded dramatically by the acquisition of two large, highly capable businesses at the end of 2015.

He explained: “We now have amongst the widest range of composite processes in-house in our market segment, which means we can are well-positioned to accommodate any geometric challenge our customers put before us.”

The San Diego facility will become a Meggitt center of excellence in multi-axis high-pressure compression molding as well as autoclave processes.

Meggitt Polymers & Composites highlighted one of the world's first rotating composite parts it makes for GE at the recent Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMx) in Anaheim. The product - a “flow path spacer” - is 50% lighter than the titanium unit it replaces and 50% cheaper to manufacture.

The relocation investment of approximately $10 million will result in over 200 new jobs by 2020 for composite technicians, program managers and manufacturing and quality engineers.

Meggitt Polymers & Composites expects the Top Gun Street construction to commence in November 2016, with a phased occupancy to be completed by second quarter 2017. Architectural and construction firms have been designated for the project.