Rolls-Royce recently announced that it is growing its presence in Southern California with a $30 million expansion into a new 62,000-sq-ft facility that will be dedicated to the research and development of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials and processes for use in next-generation aerospace engine components. Rolls-Royce held a dedication ceremony with federal, state, and local officials; customers; and employees at the new facility. Rolls-Royce purchased Hyper-Therm High-Temperature Composites (HTC) in May 2013 and continues to grow and invest with this new “CMC technology hub” located in Cypress, Calif.
“The development of lighter, stronger, composite fiber components is just part of our commitment to continuously improve the performance of our products by focusing on lowering fuel consumption, emissions and noise,” said Marion Blakey, Rolls-Royce president and CEO of North America. “The team here in Cypress will be dedicated to seeing the commercial application of these technologies that will soon be adopted into advanced manufacturing production methods for gas turbine components.”
“I want to welcome Rolls-Royce to its new location in Cypress, and I applaud their commitment to bring jobs and grow their innovative R&D facility here in Southern California,” said Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.). “Today’s official opening highlights yet again that Southern California has the tools, the skills, and the talent to grow our already established aerospace industry here.”
“The turbine sits at the heart of the engine. I am very excited about several technologies we are developing across Rolls-Royce that will contribute to a significant reduction in fuel consumption,” said Andy Greasley, executive vice president of turbines, civil aerospace. “Our HTC team in California is part of a global team working on high-temperature composites. This dedication ceremony represents the completion of another major milestone and the creation of a state-of-the art facility specifically purposed for the development of our next-generation turbine materials.”
The facility reportedly will develop production-ready manufacturing processes and produce components that will be used for engine test programs. From there, manufacturing processes refined in the Cypress facility will be applied to a future dedicated production facility for manufacturing of engine components. Since Rolls-Royce acquired Hyper-Therm in 2013, it has grown from 15 employees to nearly 50. The company expects to hire at least 10 more people this year, with the potential for 40 more positions as the production and product testing increase.
