HITCO Carbon Composites Awarded Contract for Rocket Nozzles
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- HITCO CARBON COMPOSITES, INC. (HITCO), an affiliate of the German based SGL CARBON GROUP (NYSE:SGG), has been selected as the nozzle subcontractor for the Arrow Enhanced Components Production Program (AECPP), by ATK Composites, Clearfield, Utah. HITCO will supply nozzle components and subassemblies for the first-stage rocket motor under a pre-production contract, in preparation for a follow-on production contract in 2004.
HITCO will manufacture and assemble the Arrow Nozzle components at the Gardena, California facility, utilizing existing equipment currently employed in the manufacture of solid rocket motor nozzles for the ATK Thiokol Graphite Epoxy Motor (GEM) family used on Boeing's Delta II, III, and IV launch motor vehicles. The pre-production effort includes development of manufacturing processes and inspection techniques, design and fabrication of tooling and fabrication of verification hardware for testing.
HITCO's recent successes bringing the Delta IV Solid Rocket Motor Nozzle into production in twelve months and the tactical THAAD nozzle in eight months for Pratt & Whitney Space Propulsion as well as, the developmental work from ramp-up to full production rate of the F-22 Inlet Lip Program, attest to HITCO's ability to rapidly transition programs from development to production.
"HITCO is pleased to have been selected by ATK Composites to supply components for the Arrow II Interceptor, and is pleased to be expanding our relationship with ATK. We now supply assemblies and materials to ATK Thiokol at Magna, Utah (GEM Nozzles), ATK Thiokol at Promontory, Utah (Shuttle RSRM Aft Dome and Case Insulation) and now, ATK Composites (Arrow Nozzle Components), said Paul Pendorf, HITCO President. We are proud that we have been a key supplier to ATK for over twenty years on the Space Shuttle and Delta Programs. We look forward to providing our services to the Arrow Program for a long time to come," Pendorf concluded.
HITCO CARBON COMPOSITES, INC. manufactures advanced composite materials for defense, aerospace and industrial applications. Products range from solid rocket motor nozzle assemblies, aircraft assemblies, wet and dry friction applications such as military aircraft and automobile racing carbon-carbon brakes, automotive torque control assemblies and transmissions, to materials for industrial insulation for the aluminum and steel industries, chemical process industries and petroleum plants among others. Founded in 1922, HITCO continues to be an innovative leader in the advancement of carbon composite technologies. The SGL CARBON GROUP, headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany is the world's largest producer of carbon and graphite products with approximately 7200 employees. Annual sales in 2002 amounted to 1.1 billion Euros. The Company's business is focused on four areas: Carbon and Graphite (CG), Graphite Specialties (GS), Corrosion Protection (CP), and SGL Technologies (SGL T) which comprises the growth businesses of the company. Divisions of SGL Technologies manufacture products such as high-performance carbon-ceramic brake discs and fuel cell components. Hitco Carbon Composites, Inc. is also part of SGL Technologies and manufactures composite structures, high-temperature materials and thermal insulation.