Even during the most unsettling periods of the recent economic downturn, GKN Aerospace continued to invest heavily in being at aerospace’s technological leading edge. Prime evidence of this is its leadership role in the establishment of the UK’s new National Composites Centre, where work is due to start this summer. To kick-start this initiative, GKN and partners from aerospace and other industries have just completed the Inspirational Composites project to define the initial R&D goals for the new government-backed facility, which will be based close to GKN’s Filton site and will work closely with nearby Bristol University.
Also kicking off soon in Filton will be work commissioned through a new R&D collaboration agreed with Airbus parent group EADS to develop more environmentally sustainable methods for aircraft manufacturing. This too has enjoyed some financial support from the UK government.
