Tier 1 aerospace supplier GKN Aerospace will relocate its North America additive manufacturing center of excellence to a 100,000 square-foot facility at the Lone Star Commerce Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The project is expected to create 100 jobs.

The location will initially house research and development of laser metal deposition with wire (LMD-w) additive manufacturing technology for large-scale titanium aerostructures. The company will renovate the facility with office space and equipment over the next two years.

“We are very excited to bring our additive technology research to Fort Worth,” said Shawn Black, GKN Aerospace’s President of Defense said. With proximity to many of our major customers in Texas and across the US, this is the right place for GKN Aerospace. Along with partnership with local government, we look forward to expanding our titanium additive manufacturing capabilities and pushing the boundaries of this technology for our customers and the aerospace industry.”

The City of Fort Worth will provide grant funding based on qualified R&D investment.

"Fort Worth is proud to welcome GKN Aerospace and excited by the cutting-edge R&D that it will bring to the region,” noted Robert Sturns, Director of Economic Development for the City of Fort Worth. “This center of excellence builds on a strong cluster of Fort Worth-based firms who are innovating the future of aerospace and transportation manufacturing, and we look forward to the partnership that we are building with GKN Aerospace."

GKN Aerospace is the world’s leading multi-technology tier 1 aerospace supplier. The company builds and supplies an extensive range of advanced aerospace systems, components and technologies–for use in Defence and Commercial aircraft ranging from helicopters, business jets, passenger planes to the most advanced fighter aircraft.