Spain-headquartered ITP Aero has been awarded £1.5 million ($1.9 million) from the UK government to support a three-year project developing laser beam welding (LBW) technology.

Working from its Hucknall site in the English Midlands, ITP will collaborate with the University of Nottingham and the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry on the initiative, which will receive a total investment of £2.59 million.

Hucknall-c-ITP Aero

Source: ITP Aero

ITP Aero’s facilities in the UK include site in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire

Known as LADDER – Laser Automation and Design Development for future Engine Requirements – the project aims to mature LBW for use in complex sheet-metal aero-engine fabrications.

Rob Mitchell, head of engineering for ITP Aero UK, says: “This is a real milestone for us in ITP Aero UK. We are a young company in the UK, but a site with a huge amount of aerospace heritage.

“This is our first stand-alone project where we have sought and secured government funding and underlines our commitment to invest in the UK in line with our research priorities.”

ITP Aero was from 2017 a wholly owned subsidiary of Rolls-Royce but was divested in 2022.

Dominic Perry is deputy editor of Flight International but also contributes extensively to flightglobal.com. Although specialising in the coverage of the helicopter industry, he has written on most topics in aerospace – be they commercial, defence or business aviation. In addition, there has been an increasing focus on the decarbonisation of the industry and zero-emission flight initiatives.View full Profile

More from Dominic Perry

Topics