Sydney-based carbon fibre composite components manufacturer Quickstep Holdings will close its existing US facility.
Quickstep said in a statement that it has entered into an agreement with Ohio‐based Vector Composites, its US licensee, under which Quickstep will integrate its US business with that of Vector Composites.
The agreement follows the successful completion of a Small Business Innovation Research contract awarded by the US Department of Defence to the Vector/Quickstep team in 2010.
Under the agreement, Vector Composites will acquire specific assets and lease key equipment including a Quickstep curing machine, enabling Vector Composites to manufacture composite parts in‐house using Quickstep technology.
The company said the agreement will help reduce its operating costs.
Quickstep executive director, Philippe Odouard, said, "… Vector Composites will now use Quickstep technology to manufacture carbon fibre parts, and we will maintain our close relationship as Vector Composites showcases our technologies in the US.”
He added that the company’s US office has completed the work for which it was established.
In April this year, Quickstep won a deal to deliver carbon fibre components for the F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter to the US. And earlier this week, the first of these aircraft made its inaugural flight.