Austrian aerospace business FACC has started construction of the extension to its factory in Croatia. The production area of the plant for manufacturing high-tech components for cabin interiors, which opened in 2022, will be tripled and an additional office building constructed. The construction work will be completed in June 2024, and the workforce will almost triple to 600 employees by the end of 2026. FACC AG is investing andeuro; 21 million in the work.

In expanding the plant, FACC is drawing on a high degree of automation and state-of-the-art machinery for the production of lightweight components for commercial aircraft and business jets. This includes a fully automated paint shop as well as high-precision manufacturing equipment, which will enable faster ramp-up processes and higher quantities in the future. In the office building, which was also constructed, specialists from the areas of IT, engineering and purchasing will support on-site production as well as FACC's central functions. In total, the site will be expanded by around 12,500sqm.

A future PV system covering an area of 2,000sqm will provide around two thirds of the annual energy consumption currently required and thus make a significant contribution to sustainable production. A further expansion beyond that is already being planned. FACC already relies on an energy mix of photovoltaics, geothermal energy and electricity from hydropower to cover its energy needs at its sites in Austria.

Together with representatives from politics and business, including Davor Filipović, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia and the Chinese Ambassador in Croatia, CEO Robert Machtlinger hosted a groundbreaking ceremony. “FACC is a leading aerospace company and a well-established partner to the global aerospace industry. Based on many factors, we decided to set up the largest non-Austrian production site here, a decision that was right. At the 2022 opening, we already announced a plan to further expand the facility soon, I am very happy that we are now in the execution phase of this significant FACC milestone,” he says.

"With the expansion of our capacities at the site in Croatia, we are setting new standards with a plant that meets the most modern standards," adds Andreas Ockel, COO FACC. "Particularly due to the excellently trained skilled workers on site and the very good connection to the group headquarters, this location is very attractive for us."

FACC AG has recently received a Best Practice Supplier Award 2023 from the UK engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce for its outstanding delivery performance. The award was presented at the Rolls-Royce Supplier Conference in Silverstone. "This award from our long-standing partner Rolls-Royce makes us very proud - it represents the commitment of our entire crew to deliver top performance every day and to meet the requirements of our customers in the best possible way," says Machtlinger.

For more than 20 years, Rolls-Royce has included FACC solutions in the production of engines for civil aviation.