On July 9, specialty materials manufacturer Syensqo broke ground on a multi-million-dollar expansion at its manufacturing site in Havre de Grace, Maryland, increasing production capacity by more than 30% to support growing demand for aerospace composite materials.

According to the company, the investment will expand manufacturing of high-performance structural adhesives, bonding materials, primers and surfacing products used in commercial aerospace, defense, propulsion, space, advanced air mobility and automotive applications. The project also is intended to strengthen supply reliability and improve manufacturing efficiency across Syensqo's global production network.

Syensqo said the Maryland expansion builds on a previous capacity increase at its Wrexham, U.K., facility and reflects continued demand from the aerospace sector, the company's largest end market, representing approximately 20% of the company’s net sales.

Rodrigo Elizondo, president of Syensqo Composite Materials, said in a statement that the investment will strengthen the company's ability to meet growing customer demand while reinforcing the Havre de Grace site's role within its global manufacturing network.

The expansion continues a series of aerospace-related initiatives by Syensqo this year. The company recently secured a multi-year agreement to supply Boeing with advanced composites and structural adhesives for commercial and defense aircraft programs, and its high-temperature composite materials were also used in NASA's Artemis II mission to provide thermal protection and structural reinforcement for the Space Launch System's solid rocket boosters.