Austrian composites specialist FACC has received two additional autoclaves as part of an expansion strategy to lift turnover to €1 billion ($1.19 billion) by 2021.

The Ried-based manufacturer says it generates annual revenue of "more than €700 million" today.

But noting an "order level of more than $5 billion", FACC says existing capacity will be "fully stretched for the next seven years", while new projects are in the pipeline and volumes on existing programmes are set to be increased.

Chief executive Robert Machtlinger states that the company intends to invest "up to €100 million in the next three years" in an effort to "prepare us for new technologies and trends".

The two new autoclaves will be FACC's largest so far; they have been delivered to its Reichersberg facility.

At 160t, the larger of the pair is 19.9m (65ft) long and has a diameter of 6.1m. The smaller autoclave weighs 140t.

Construction of a facility extension has also begun.

Source: FlightGlobal.com