GKN Aerospace Norway has forged a strategic partnership with the Norwegian Catapult Manufacturing Technology cluster in Kongsberg to significantly expand advanced additive manufacturing (AM) at its Kongsberg engines facility. This collaborative investment aims to industrialize AM technology, creating a central platform for sustainable manufacturing innovation within Norway.
The initiative underscores additive manufacturing’s pivotal role in modern aerospace, offering substantial environmental and efficiency benefits. By building components layer-by-layer, AM drastically reduces material waste, shortens complex supply chains, and lowers the overall carbon footprint of production. This partnership is designed to accelerate the adoption of these practices across Norwegian industry.
“Additive manufacturing is a cornerstone of our vision for the future of aerospace,” said Sébastien Aknouche, Senior Vice President of Material Solutions at GKN Aerospace. “This partnership enables us to fully industrialize the technology and bring sustainable, high-performance solutions closer to our customers.”
For GKN Aerospace, the Kongsberg expansion is the latest step in a global AM capability build-up, following recent investments in Sweden and the United States. The collaboration directly supports the company’s strategy to increase capacity, accelerate innovation, and position advanced manufacturing closer to key engine original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The facility will leverage GKN’s proprietary AM technologies to produce critical, high-performance engine components.
Crucially, the agreement extends beyond GKN’s walls. Norwegian Catapult’s role ensures the advanced infrastructure and expertise developed will be accessible to wider Norwegian industry, fostering broader technological adoption.
“Together, we are building a platform for future-oriented manufacturing,” stated Ole B. Hoen, Head of the Kongsberg Technology Cluster. “This collaboration combines world-class expertise with a shared ambition to drive progress and support a greener industry. By co-investing, we ensure this unique infrastructure becomes available to broader Norwegian industry for learning and testing.”
The project also aligns with national ambitions for sustainable industrial leadership. By strengthening its Kongsberg centre of excellence, GKN Aerospace reinforces its commitment to next-generation, sustainable engine manufacturing while providing a catalyst for Norway’s high-tech industrial ecosystem.
