Avanco Composites bundles lightweight composites expertise into new corporate structure

Thermoset filament winding. Source | Dynexa

Inometa Thermoplastics, Dynexa and Xelis, previously three separate entities, have now been joined into one brand, Avanco Composites (Herford, Germany). The new structure expands each company’s expertise in the development and production of high-performance composite and thermoplastic composite (TPC) solutions under one comprehensive lightweight materials portfolio, addressing different business segments like mobility, aviation and space, defense, oil and gas, and marine.

Together, Avanco’s three units mesh core composites technologies competencies such as thermoset-based filament winding, TPC tape winding and continuous compression molding, stamp forming and vacuum press. This strategic integration will enable Avanco to provide tailor-made solutions for a wide range of industrial applications — from the development of ultra-strong, lightweight components to the sustainable production of complex, high-precision parts and assemblies.

TPC tape winding. Source | Inometa Thermoplastics

Inometa Thermoplastics. One pillar of Avanco Composites, Inometa focuses on the precise processing of TPC tapes. Use of a new automated tape winding approach involving laser-assisted in situ consolidation, Inometa Thermoplastics is said to enable a new path for carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) winding products, such as rotor or stator sleeves, pressure vessels and also potential for functional integration for tubes and pressure vessels.

Dynexa. This is Avanco’s thermoset unit, specializing in the development and production of thermoset-based filament winding processes and the integration of metallic parts to composite materials. For decades, Dynexa has focused on the development and production of driveshafts and CFRP and glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) tubes.

Continuous compression molding (CCM). Source | Xelis

Xelis. This unit stands for advanced composite materials R&D. Xelis specializes in TPCs via an in-house developed continuous compression molding process, X-CCM. Known for its production of high-performance and complex CFRP profiles and laminates for the aviation industry, Xelis’ portfolio is further complemented by stamp forming, vacuum presses, assemblies and mechanical postprocessing.

Leveraging the synergies between these three entities highlights Avanco Composites’ commitment to address the challenges of the future: resource efficiency, R&D collaborations and innovative manufacturing processes for efficient series productions. This not only opens up new business opportunities across multiple industries but also represents a key contribution to the growth strategy.

“We are proud to combine our expertise in lightweight technologies and offer our customers an even broader range of solutions,” says Matthias Heinrichs, sales director of Avanco Composites. “To be more present in the composites market, each focus segment has been equipped with experienced personnel to further push the growth in every single end market.”