CTL Tástáil Teoranta Wins New Contract to Carry Out Civil Aircraft Component Part Qualification

CTL Tástáil Teoranta (Composites Testing Laboratory) has been selected by British company, BAE SYSTEMS (Aerostructures) to carry out a 2-year programme of Aircraft Component Part Qualification for the civil aerospace industry.

CTL Tástáil Teoranta carries out accredited testing for the European advanced composites industry, from its base at the Údarás na Gaeltachta Industrial Estate, Spiddal, Galway, Ireland, where it currently employs 15 people.

The Part Qualification of civil aircraft components requires full mechanical, physico-chemical and fractographic analyses of structural and non-structural composite wing components for both existing and new civil aircraft projects.

Mr. Paul O'Neill, Senior Materials & Processes Engineer at BAE SYSTEMS (Aerostructures), said that "CTL were selected from a list of established international companies for the contract and have been successful in meeting the demanding timescales and deliverables of this major programme of work since it began in November 2002".

"BAE SYSTEMS (Aerostructures) hopes to further develop the relationship to 'preferred supplier' status to CTL for all composite material testing requirements in the future.", said Paul O'Neill.

CTL Managing Director, Dr. Conchúr Ó Brádaigh, said that "it is very important for CTL to have won such a prestigious testing contract from one of the leading aerospace companies in the world, especially since it was achieved in the face of strong international competition".

Dr. Ó Brádaigh was speaking at the company's Open Day in Spiddal, where customers from Britain, Germany, Denmark and the United States had travelled to view CTL's new testing facilities and to meet with staff. This the second major testing contract that CTL have won in the last three months, having been awarded a major testing contract from the European Space Agency in May of this year.

Speaking at the Open Day, Mr. John Lowery, Údarás na Gaeltachta Deputy Chief Executive with responsibility for Industrial Development, said that Údarás was pleased to be associated with a company of the calibre of CTL Tástáil Teoranta. "In these times of intense competition for business and in an environment of pressure on Irish competitiveness, this new contract demonstrates that the delivery of quality services using high skills is still sought after"

"Údarás na Gaeltachta recognises the need to bridge the gap between traditional industry and new-age or knowledge-based industry, and has set its sights on bridging that gap through comprehensive programmes of training and education, infrastructural initiatives and co-operation with third-level institutes", said Mr. Lowery.

"CTL Tástáil Teoranta is an example of what can be achieved by indigenous companies through the provision of high quality service delivery and investment in training and education", he concluded.

"BAE SYSTEMS (Aerostructures) is a leading supplier of major airframe structures. The Aerostructures business offers a totally integrated capability covering design, engineering, supply chain and project management expertise to deliver major structures solutions for the primes, which include Airbus, Boeing, Raytheon, Cessna and Lockheed.

CTL Tastáil Teoranta provides accredited mechanical and physical testing services to leading manufacturers of composite materials throughout Europe. CTL is the only independent accredited testing laboratory in the European Union that specialises in composite materials. CTL stands for Composites Testing Laboratory, and is a spin-off company of the National University of Ireland, Galway. The company's main markets are in aerospace, wind-energy, automotive and Formula 1.

Note to the Editor: Composite materials are lightweight, carbon fibre or glass fibre reinforced plastic materials that are used in aerospace, marine, automotive, environmental, wind turbine blades application. A typical carbon fibre reinforced composite has 5 times the stiffness and strength of steel, when compared on the same weight basis, i.e. Kg for Kg.

More information email from conchur@ctlcomposites.com

Contact numbers:
Dr. Conchúr Ó Brádaigh, CTL Tastáil Teo., +353 (0) 91 504777
Pádraig Ó hAoláin, Deputy Chief Executive/Regional Development, Údarás na Gaeltachta: (091) 503 104