Daher’s new 1,600 m² Shap’In TechCenter will bring together the company’s full spectrum of aerostructures and composites expertise in a single facility to be located on Daher’s existing site at Saint-Aignan-de-Grandlieu in the Jules Verne industrial innovation cluster near Nantes, France. Its operational startup is planned in October 2022.
This €7.5-million project is supported by €800,000 in funding from the French Aerospace Industry Modernization Fund and will respond to technical, economic and environmental challenges faced by the industry – while also training young talents. Shap’in will employ 160 people, half of whom will work on research and development projects.
Advanced composites in general – and thermoplastics in particular – are true game changers in the world of aerostructures because they enable the production of components that are simultaneously lighter and stronger than the materials previously used and at a lower cost. Another major advantage is that they can be recycled/repurposed as part of a circular economy. The resulting performance gains are therefore significant and help limit aviation’s environmental impact.
