Austria’s Hilitech—the joint venture linking cabin interiors and composite materials specialists F/List and the Hintsteiner Group, respectively—has opened a new production plant in Kindberg. With more than 20,000 sq ft in its initial phase, the facility is expected to have 100 professionals on staff by year-end manufacturing its lightweight VIP and business aircraft cabin components and systems.

Hilitech’s offerings range from sliding doors, tables, toilet seats, and shower trays, to full lining accoutrements, high-end cabinets, and decorative carbon surfaces and applications. Proprietary production methods and a unique blend of materials produce parts 25 percent lighter than those made with conventional production techniques, according to the company.

The new facility will support variable manufacturing processes, allowing quick production of components for multiple areas of application. Production infrastructure at the new plant includes autoclave-/prepreg-technology, vacuum processes, compression molding, wet laminate technology, rapid prototyping technologies, CNC milling, prepreg cutter, and 3D scanning.

Hilitech produces all its tooling in-house for maximum precision and flexibility. The components, benefitting from high-quality veneer processing and high-gloss finishes by and through F/List, are delivered as a complete and tested interior solution.

In addition, Hilitech launched an apprentice training program “to build up and retain know-how and experts for the long term.”