Collins Aerospace acquires Dutch thermoplastics maker

Collins Aerospace, Cedar Rapids’ largest employer, announced it has acquired Dutch Thermoplastic Components, a Netherlands-based development and fabrication of structural thermoplastic composite parts.

The purchase of the 23-year-old Dutch manufacturer will allow Collins Aerospace to expand the use of advanced thermoplastics to make aircraft lighter and more fuel-efficient, the company said on its website.

Dutch Thermoplastic Components produces “more than 2,000 unique part numbers for more than a dozen commercial and business aviation platforms,” the manufacturer’s managing director, David Manten, said on the website.

Thermoplastics are lighter than conventional aircraft materials and require fewer fasteners, which in turn can further reduce weight and required maintenance, the company said.

"This acquisition underscores our commitment to use advanced materials and processes to address key areas of importance for our customers — weight reduction for fuel savings, reliability improvements and sustainable practices across the entire product lifecycle,” said Marc Duvall, president of Aerostructures for Collins Aerospace, based in Chula Vista, Calif.