With Demand on the Rise, Hexcel Is Refocusing on Its Niche in Aerospace Composite Materials

Hexcel is one of the three major manufacturers of advanced carbon fiber and resin composite materials for the aerospace and defense industry, though it supplies a few adjacent markets as well. Composites as a percentage of aircraft weight have increased with each generation of aircraft development as they are strong and durable enough for aerospace purposes but generally lighter and even stronger than the metals they replace, which allows airlines to save on fuel expense when operating a lighter plane. We think this trend will likely persist over the next decade or longer, as aircraft development and replacement is a slow-moving process and several important aircraft types, notably narrow-bodies, still have low composite penetration. Hexcel's strategy is to provide composite materials to build successive generations of aircraft within the very consolidated aerospace and defense industry. The company has, over the years, expanded into multiple verticals, experienced downturns, and subsequently rationalized its product lines away from leisure and other undifferentiated applications.