Pilatus inaugurates $123M Schwarzhorn composite manufacturing center in Nidwalden
Pilatus has opened a new CHF 100 million ($123 million) composite manufacturing center in Switzerland as it prepares to expand the use of the lighter-weight materials in future aircraft. The new "Schwarzhorn" building in the Swiss canton of Nidwalden brings Pilatus' composite development and production operations together under one roof for the first time. The facility provides workspaces for about 300 employees. Pilatus CEO Markus Bucher said the project represents the company's largest investment in a single new facility to date. Pilatus has used fiber-reinforced composite materials for more than 40 years, although their use was traditionally limited to non-load-bearing parts such as covers and cowlings. That changed with the PC-24 twinjet, which uses composites in primary structures including load-bearing control surfaces. The lighter structures help reduce aircraft weight and fuel consumption, and Pilatus said it plans to increase its use of composites in the future. The Schwarzhorn facility handles the full production process, starting with delivery and storage of raw materials and continuing through component manufacturing, subassembly and surface treatment. Finished component kits can then be sent directly to final assembly. Pilatus said the manufacturing areas were also designed to accommodate new production and inspection technologies and greater automation in the future. Bringing engineering and manufacturing teams into the same facility is intended to improve cooperation between the two groups. "With this building, Pilatus is once again reaffirming its commitment to Switzerland as a place of innovation, manufacturing, and training," Bucher said. The facility also incorporates photovoltaic panels on its roof and facades, while waste heat from production processes and groundwater are used for heating and cooling. Pilatus is seeking LEED Platinum certification for the building, which would be a first for the company. The Schwarzhorn name refers both to a Swiss mountain and to the dark color of the composite components produced there.