Global contract manufacturer Lincotek boosts aerospace and defense capability in France
Tarbes, FR – April 13, 2021. Lincotek’s Surface Solutions division – the fully-integrated, global contract manufacturer in the Industrial Gas Turbines (IGT) and Aviation markets – is demonstrating commitment to its plant in Tarbes, south-west France, with significant new investment.
The move comes at a time when the aerospace industry faces huge challenges, with demand greatly reduced due to the global coronavirus pandemic. With its investment, Lincotek intends to be in the strongest possible position as the market emerges from the crisis. Thanks to the CAPEX plan the company has drawn up, the Tarbes plant today has a unique setup in the French coating market, being able to serve all the OEMs – wherever they are located.
The investment plan is focused on deep, structural transformation in both manufacturing and the supply chain, with a range of expected benefits including an increase in production capacity; enhanced product quality; streamlined operations and reduced maintenance costs; and, most importantly, improved safety and security.
It is intended for the French plant to become a cornerstone of Lincotek’s integrated supply chain solutions, which has meant the company has made a number of specific investments.
A new vacuum furnace – already qualified by an Aviation OEM – will facilitate advanced development production, as heat treatment enhances the performance of critical aerospace components, such as engine parts, to prevent wear, corrosion and stress.
A new coating system has been installed using the unique Lincotek proprietary multicoating equipment, a cutting-edge solution that includes HVOF, air plasma spray, wire arc and flame spray technologies. The new booth – installed alongside an additional automatic sandblasting machine – guarantees a very high level of reproducibility, process stability and traceability.
In the area of milling and grinding, the plant has been moving from conventional to CNC production, adding a wide range of machining equipment. This has led to an increase in productivity and quality, as well as greater capability in relation to more complex design parts, allowing the plant to offer the market a complete service.
Many pieces of equipment and relevant processes have already been qualified by Aviation OEMs. In addition, UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 and UNI EN 9100:2018 certifications were reaccredited in 2020 with no issues reported. The business has also boasted Nadcap company-level accreditation for more than five years now. Lincotek is Nadcap certified for APS, HVOF, HVAF and stripping, as well as laboratory performance in bond strength, hardness and metallography. This reflects the company’s culture of constant improvement and investment in quality and customer satisfaction to guarantee the highest industry standards.
Xavier Maury, General Manager of Lincotek Surface Solutions in Tarbes, commented: “With the considerable investment in the plant and our high level of certification and accreditation, we are now in the perfect position to support OEMs with their integrated supply chain. The recent period has been tough for everyone in the aerospace industry, but with this kind of forward thinking, Lincotek is now in a strong position to respond to the needs of the market as we look forward to the resolution of the Covid crisis.’
About Lincotek Surface Solutions |Lincotek Surface Solutions, headquartered in Italy, is a fully-integrated, global contract manufacturer for Industrial Gas Turbines and Aviation markets with a unique and wide portfolio of services from Additive Manufacturing to surface treatments and market-ready solutions. The company is a division of Lincotek, a group that has served global markets for more than 45 years and today has more than 1,100 employees located in 16 production facilities across Europe, North America and Asia.
