Hexcel Corporation is a leading developer and manufacturer of high-performance reinforcement products, composite materials and composite structures for use in commercial aerospace, space and defence, electronics, and industrial applications. The company’s fibres, fabrics, resins, prepregs, honeycombs and adhesives are widely used in the aerospace industry for components in regional jets, helicopters, aircraft engines and satellites.

At the 2006 Farnborough Airshow, Hexcel displayed a number of composite parts manufactured by its customers. These included the AirbusA380 Fixed leading Edge Lower Panel (FLELP) – Inner Panel 5 – that is manufactured by CTRM Aero Composites for Airbus UK. This is made with Hexcel’s Hexply8552 prepreg, MagnamiteAS4 carbon fibre, Redux319A film adhesive and HexwebHRH-36 honeycomb.

Saab has been a major customer of Hexcel composite materials for over 25 years and Saab Aerostructures supplied a Gripen Canard Wing for display on Hexcel's stand (Fig.6). The wing is manufactured with Hexply6376 carbon fibre prepreg and Hexweb5056 and 5052CR-PAA honeycombs.

Other exhibits on the Hexcel stand included a Hextool mould tool for an aircraft door, an aircraft seat pedestal in HexMC, Towflex thermoplastic laminate demonstrator parts, and a preform for an aircraft fuselage frame, together with the resin-injected part.