PTC - A springboard for innovation in the manufacturing industry

GKN Aerospace is investing in a new additive manufacturing plant in Trollhättan, and part of the success can be attributed to the innovative collaboration here at the Production Technology Center (PTC). Here in PTC's dynamic and research-intensive environment, GKN Aerospace has been able to develop and test advanced methods to develop tomorrow's aerospace industry.

- The fact that PTC's members can share resources and support each other creates the right conditions for different companies' technological development. GKN Aerospace is an example of how collaboration and research in a common environment creates large ripples in a fantastic direction, says Tommy Christensen, Operations Manager at PTC and Innovation Manager at Innovatum Science Park.

At the Production Technology Center, several different projects are running in parallel in different constellations. With everything from specialized processes where development takes place around the aerospace industry of the future to strengthening the skills of small and medium-sized companies.

- The technology developed in the innovation environment at PTC is now ready to "fly". It is a fantastic journey that has been completed with competence development, technology development and innovation in this unique environment where both academia, industry and authorities have collaborated to mature the technology to the right level to make the decision on this major investment at GKN Aerospace in Trollhättan, says Henrik Runnemalm, Vice President Global Technology Center at GKN Aerospace.

Investing in the sustainable flight of the future

The collaboration has not only accelerated the development of GKN Aerospace's technological capabilities but also strengthened Trollhättan's role as a leading location for technological innovation. Now GKN Aerospace is investing SEK 600 million to industrialize additive manufacturing in the city.

-"It's cool that we have about 100 people in Trollhättan alone at PTC who research aircraft technology and how we will be able to fly sustainably in the future," says Caroline Beaufoy, Communications Manager at GKN Aerospace.

Evidence of good cooperation

The PTC is for companies that want to develop their existing business but also for companies with new ideas. The idea is to provide a vibrant environment where companies can come to see and test the latest technologies and methods in production engineering.

- The investment is a fantastic confirmation that the Production Technology Center creates conditions for the development of groundbreaking technology that can seriously reduce the industry's climate footprint and strengthen Swedish competitiveness, says Linda Bohlin Trajkovski, CEO of Innovatum Science Park.

The new additive manufacturing initiative is expected to not only strengthen GKN Aerospace's competitiveness but also contribute to growth and employment. This is a clear example of how collaboration within the PTC can drive breakthrough innovations and strengthen the future potential of the industry.

The factory will be ready in 2024

Work on the factory in Trollhättan is in full swing and initially GKN Aerospace will use existing premises on its own site where the plant is expected to be operational in 2024. In the long term, the initiative will grow to full-scale production.

- It is important to note that we are only at the beginning of this journey. Methods and techniques for additive manufacturing will enable completely new technical solutions and help us to increase the functionality of the products while minimizing the environmental impact of the products we sell on the global market. We have already identified new areas that we want to develop to enable further expansion of this area," says Henrik Runnemalm.

- It is great to see that the collaboration that takes place at PTC leads to this type of investment, concludes Tommy Christensen.