Composites technology company earns first international commercial order

Listed Australian defence supplier Xtek (ASX:XTE) has achieved its first international commercial order for armour plates made using its proprietary curing technique.

Xtek made the announcement on Tuesday, naming the customer of an “>A$1m” order as CPE Oy, with the end user to be the Finnish Defence Forces. CPE is a supplier of ballistic protection solutions to customers in Finland and other European markets.

Managing director Philippe Odouard (pictured on left) called the order an important validation for the XTclave curing system for composites.

“The qualification process undertaken, followed by a large order, is a clear execution of our strategy,” he said in a statement.

“We have worked very hard to ensure that the long customer cycles have progressed in parallel with the construction of the new manufacturing centre in Adelaide, to ensure that the manufacturing capability is utilised as soon as possible – and we are now very pleased to see this strategy successfully executed.”

The order follows news last month of a first-ever commercial order of protective plates made using XTclave, a liquid-based, ultra-high-pressure curing technique. That order was for Tote Systems Australia, for use in tactical vests by an Australian law enforcement unit.

Xtek plans to use the technique to provide high-strength, lightweight parts for other markets, including the space industry. It opened a new Adelaide factory in February.

Picture: The Advertiser