At an event attended by Sweden’s Minister of Infrastructure Andreas Carlson, GKN Aerospace formally opened its Swedish Additive Manufacturing facility. The company has reportedly invested some £50 million in the new venture, and has plans to create around 150 new job opportunities for highly skilled operators, technicians, and engineers at the Trollhättan site.

With support from Swedish Energy Agency and Industriklivet, the plant is expected to become a central hub for innovation in aircraft engine components. New technology means that GKN Aerospace is expected to greatly reduce the use of raw materials, making the aircraft engine lighter and more efficient.

“We are the first in the world to industrially produce aircraft engine components on this scale, so our facility is completely unique,” stated Martin Wänblom, VP Operations for GKN Aerospace Sweden. “The fact that we can take this step shows what cutting-edge expertise exists in Sweden and especially here in western Sweden.”