LONDON Element Materials Technology announced the creation of a new global Aerospace product qualification testing services group.

The formation of Element’s Aerospace PQT group will increase collaboration among 13 of its key laboratories, providing a range of structural, environmental, EMI and EMC, stress, hydraulic, fire and fuel testing services across the company’s global platform to clients including the Aerospace Primes and their Tier 1 suppliers. The dedicated Aerospace PQT Group will collaborate closely with Aerospace materials testing facilities across the Element platform, allowing Element to serve as a single, trusted testing partner for clients.

"Creating a dedicated, global Aerospace PQT offering provides us with a clear competitive advantage in serving our industry-leading clients," Charles Noall, president and CEO of Element, said. “Our recent acquisitions of Environ in the US and TRaC Global significantly increased our Aerospace footprint, particularly in Europe, and takes the Element platform to a headcount of 1,800, working across 51 locations. Element’s new PQT group is, therefore, the best possible solution to be a trusted testing partner for our clients.”

Rick Sluiters, Element’s executive vice president, aerospace, adds, “Our strategic locations allow the world’s foremost aircraft manufacturers, aero engine OEMs and commercial aviation companies access to our facilities, wherever they need us. This stronger focus on aligning our capabilities and capacity has already begun to deliver increased benefits to clients across our global platform. This includes shared capabilities to allow work to be carried out at laboratories with the most current capacity to optimize project turnaround times.”

The newly-acquired Environ and TRaC will be fully incorporated into Element’s Aerospace and product qualification testing services group. They will add significant capability to the company’s Electromagnetic Interference and Electromagnetic Compatibility services in the US. In Europe it includes an extensive range of product qualification testing services, including EMC, vibration and environmental simulation, safety, radio, telecoms, explosive atmosphere testing, finite element analysis and early stage qualification.

The acquisition of TRaC adds 30 EMC testing chambers, including a heavy vehicle semi-anechoic chamber with an 18m x 14m working volume and capacity for 70 ton floor loading.

Also within Element’s new Aerospace PQT group, Element Jupiter, FL and Element Berlin, Germany serve clients including the major engine OEMs specializing in engine component and system testing and fuel system testing. The newly rebranded Element Seattle, WA (formerly Element Bothell) and Element Melbourne, FL, specialize in highly accelerated life testing, highly accelerated stress screening and RTCA DO-160 and MIL-STD 810-approved environmental testing.

The launch of the Aerospace PQT group further strengthens Element’s position as the largest independent materials testing and PQT provider in the global aerospace sector. Element also holds among the highest number of Nadcap-accredited laboratories in the industry for an independent materials testing company.

For more information, visit www.element.com