Albany Engineered Composites is combining advanced technologies, manufacturing ...

Albany Engineered Composites (AEC) is positioning its Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based parent company, Albany International Corp., at the forefront of aerospace manufacturing by combining proprietary 3D-weaving technologies with advanced out-of-autoclave production methods. With approximately $475 million in 2025 revenue, the company operates as a leading Tier-2 aerospace supplier serving primarily the commercial and defense markets, according to manufacturing-today.com.

Industrializing Composite Manufacturing for Global Aerospace

Operating approximately 1.5 million square feet of manufacturing space across 2300 employees, 11 facilities, and four countries, AEC specializes in complex composite aerostructures. Jared Armstrong, Vice President of Global Customers & Marketing, highlighted the firm’s technological breadth during a recent industry preview. The company utilizes traditional hand lay-up, automated lay-up, over braiding, filament winding thermoplastics, and both autoclave and out-of-autoclave cure methods.

We're uniting proven systems integration with agile composite manufacturing. Our new teaming agreement with Albany Engineered Composites delivers a low-risk, cost-effective solution for upcoming hypersonic production.

— https://x.com/LockheedMartin/status/2087271852053835937

That manufacturing footprint anchors high-volume production lines worldwide. Beyond its primary United States operations in Rochester, New Hampshire, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Boerne, Texas, the company also operates facilities in Mexico, Germany, and France. These include a primary joint-venture facility located in France, alongside facilities in Mexico and Germany.

“We specialize exclusively in composite aerostructures and components, with our proprietary 3D-weaving technology and industry-leading Resin Transfer Molding experience helping to differentiate us within the market,” Jared Armstrong explained to manufacturing-today.com.

Securing Major Defense Certifications and Production Contracts

Regulatory milestones continue to shape the supplier’s operational standing within the defense sector. On December 22, 2025, Albany International Corp. announced that AEC achieved CMMC Level 2 certification through an accredited third-party assessment organization, placing it among the earliest suppliers to clear the threshold among an estimated 80,000 industrial contractors.

Defense and commercial partnerships are driving significant operational commitments across domestic sites. Following a strategic review, the company confirmed it will keep its Salt Lake City facility on Amelia Earhart Drive fully operational.

Transitioning Technologies Across the Research Valley of Death

As supply chain constraints surrounding titanium persist across the aviation sector, the company is leaning into weight-reduction strategies that replace traditionally forged and machined metallic parts with composite alternatives. Through participation in programs such as Airbus’ Wing of Tomorrow and the UK Aerospace Technology Institute’s AVIATION_2 Project, AEC continues to scale its manufacturing infrastructure to meet the evolving demands of next-generation commercial airframes and defense platforms alike.