H.B. Fuller unveils aerospace manufacturing centre of excellence in USA

Adhesives producer H.B. Fuller has announced the establishment of its Aerospace Manufacturing Centre of Excellence in Charlotte, North Carolina. The facility, expected to be operational by early 2027, represents a milestone in the company’s long-term growth strategy and aligns with its enterprise-wide optimisation initiative, ‘Project Quantum Leap’. By consolidating specialised manufacturing, packaging, testing, and quality operations, the new centre aims to meet stringent aerospace requirements and support growing demand across the aviation, space, and defence sectors.

João Magalhães, Senior Vice President of Engineering Adhesives at H.B. Fuller, highlighted the significance of the investment: “The aerospace market demands consistency, precision and long-term commitment. This Manufacturing Centre of Excellence brings together advanced infrastructure, deep technical expertise, and rigorous quality systems in one purpose-built operation, enabling customers to qualify new platforms with confidence and rely on H.B. Fuller across extended product lifecycles.”

Advanced infrastructure to support aerospace innovation

The Charlotte facility has been designed to comply with the industry’s most rigorous regulatory and quality standards, including AS9100 certification—the benchmark for aviation and defence quality management—and Nadcap accreditation for special process quality assurance. Features include purpose-designed manufacturing systems, advanced mixing and packaging equipment, and dedicated laboratories for product development, validation, and release conformance testing.

H.B. Fuller’s investment in this centre underscores its commitment to supporting customers with long qualification timelines, strict change-management requirements, and fully traceable production environments. The facility will not only enhance production capacity but also ensure programme continuity and reliability for aerospace customers globally.

Strategic growth in high-margin markets

The Aerospace Manufacturing Centre of Excellence aligns with H.B. Fuller’s strategy to optimise its global footprint and concentrate resources on high-value, high-margin segments of its portfolio. By strengthening its presence in the aerospace sector, the company seeks to drive innovation and address the evolving needs of customers in a market characterised by stringent demands for quality and precision.

Founded in 1887, H.B. Fuller reported revenue of EUR 3.2 billion in 2025 and operates in over 150 countries, with products spanning adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings. This new facility is expected to bolster its reputation as a trusted supplier of advanced solutions, particularly in aerospace applications.

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