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#Composites

Airbus Helicopters unveils third H160 prototype with striking carbon livery

Hexcel Corporation (NYSE: HXL) is proud to announce the unveiling of the third H160 prototype from Airbus Helicopters, featuring a striking carbon-inspired livery that represents the composite materials Hexcel supplies for the helicopter.

This gesture follows Hexcel’s announcement in June that its reinforcements, prepregs, adhesives and honeycomb materials had been selected for the H160’s composite fuselage structures and main rotor blades. The H160 was designed by Airbus Helicopters to create added-value for customers in terms of performance, economic competitiveness, safety and comfort. The use of Hexcel’s composite materials throughout the structure contributes to the lightweight fuel-saving design and performance optimization.

Airbus Helicopters decided to promote the H160 program and its high carbon fiber content in a way that recalls the livery previously used for the A350 XWB. The A350 XWB has a structure that is 53% composites and Hexcel supplies the carbon fiber prepreg for all of the aircraft’s composite primary structures.

The newly unveiled H160 prototype is a fitting tribute to the 40-year partnership between Hexcel and Airbus Helicopters.

(c) 2017 Hexcel
(c) 2017 Hexcel


More News from Hexcel Corporation

#Composites

FLYING WHALES selects HEXCEL for the supply of composites materials for its LCA60T AIRSHIP

In order to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, FLYING WHALES (FLWH) and HEXCEL are collaborating on an exciting project to develop the most adapted solutions for airship structures.

#Composites

KONGSBERG and HEXCEL sign a long-term partnership agreement

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS (KONGSBERG) and HEXCEL Corporation (HEXCEL) have signed a long-term partnership agreement at the Paris Air Show for the supply of HexWeb® engineered honeycombs and HexPly® prepregs for KONGSBERG’s strategic production programs over a five-year period.

#Composites

Hexcel and FIDAMC join forces to shape the future of composite materials

FIDAMC a leading research and technology centre in composite manufacturing, and Hexcel, a global leader in composite materials production, have announced a strategic partnership to drive innovation, research, and future development of advanced composite materials.

#Composites

Hexcel to celebrate JEC World 60th anniversary with new aerospace and automotive innovations

Hexcel will demonstrate its latest developments for the Aerospace and Automotive markets at JEC World 2025, the prestigious 60th Anniversary edition of the leading composites fair.

More News on Composites

#Composites

JEC Forum Southeast Asia 2026 highlights Taiwan as a strategic hub for the global composites industry

The third edition of JEC Forum organized in Southeast Asia brought together 350+ participants from 22 countries for three active days of high-level Business Meetings, conferences, and networking, emphasizing Southeast Asia’s growing role in the global composites market. Held for the first time in Taipei from 23 to 24 June 2026, following the successful first editions in Bangkok, JEC Forum Southeast Asia 2026 confirmed its position as the region’s leading business platform dedicated to the composites industry.

#Composites

MEL Composites supports ELA Aviation with advanced composite materials

MEL Composites is supplying advanced composite materials and process consumables to ELA Aviation for the production of its next-generation gyroplanes. The collaboration underlines MEL Composites’ growing role in advanced aerospace mobility, providing lightweight materials designed to improve aircraft performance, manufacturing efficiency and structural reliability.

#Man-Made Fibers

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.

#Composites

JEC World 2026 confirms its standing as the unmissable event for composites and their applications

JEC World 2026 confirms its position as the leading global event for the composite materials industry and its applications across multiple sectors, bringing together the entire composites ecosystem in Paris for three days of business, innovation, and collaboration. True to its Pushing the Limits motto, the 2026 edition delivered outstanding results despite travel disruptions worldwide. The numbers speak for themselves: more than 1,400 exhibitors from over 50 countries, including over 150 first-timers, presented a global panorama of products, equipment, and services across the entire composites value chain.

Latest News

#Spinning

Ibrahim Fibres and Trützschler: A strong partnership enters its next phase with the TC 30Si

For more than two decades, Ibrahim Fibres and Trützschler have grown side by side, driven by a shared ambition to continuously improve spinning performance, strengthen technology leadership and set new benchmarks in the textile industry. Today, Ibrahim Fibres is a leading yarn and polyester staple fiber manufacturer in Pakistan. The company operates the largest number of Trützschler cards in the country, with more than 200 machines running across its mills in Faisalabad, and plays an important role in one of Asia’s largest textile industries.

#Digital Printing

USColorworks expands digital platform with Kornit Atlas MATRIX and Atlas MAX PLUS solutions

Kornit Digital Ltd. (NASDAQ: KRNT), a global pioneer in sustainable, on-demand digital fashion and textile production, today announced that USColorworks, a North Carolina-based apparel decoration and fulfillment company specializing in custom and on-demand printing for retail and promotional markets, has expanded its Kornit digital production platform with the addition of Atlas MATRIX and Atlas MAX PLUS systems to deliver high-quality, on-demand apparel across cotton, blended fabrics and polyester.

#Functional Fabrics

CovationBio introduces two new bio-based innovations at Functional Fabric Fair New York

Covation Biomaterials LLC (“CovationBio®”) is showcasing its two new bio-based innovations, Xatryx® and Sorona® elasterell-p fiber, at this year’s Functional Fabric Fair in New York City, July 7–9, 2026. Attendees can visit CovationBio at Booth #404 to explore this next generation of bio-based performance materials.

#Research & Development

Geotextiles made from recycled materials: GREEN leads the way into the industry

For the industry, recycled materials are creating new opportunities in geotextile production. In the GREEN project, the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE demonstrates that recycled polypro-pylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and high-density polyeth-ylene (HDPE) can be processed into nonwovens, fibers, and membranes that meet industrial requirements. This creates opportunities for use in existing production lines and new value chains in the geotextile market.

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