Rolls-Royce Acquires Hyper-Therm HTC

Officials from Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, announce that the company has acquired Hyper-Therm High Temperature Composites Inc., a producer of state-of-the-art composite materials, including ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), engineered coatings, and thermal-structural components.

“Our customers are always seeking ways to make turbine engines lighter, stronger and more fuel efficient, while reducing maintenance costs. The application of CMCs in the aerospace industry will help our customers improve operational performance and energy management,” says John Gallo, Rolls-Royce North America executive vice president of operations. “We expect CMCs will revolutionize the weight and performance of engines that currently rely on single-crystal superalloys found in today’s most advanced engines.”

The use of these new materials in gas turbine engine components offer the benefits of strength at higher temperatures to reduce the requirement for cooling air. CMCs are also typically one third of the density of nickel super alloys which could significantly reduce the weight of components. This would mean more environmentally friendly engines with improved efficiency and reduced emissions. 

Hyper-Therm HTC will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rolls-Royce, and will be based in Huntington Beach, California. The site will serve as the hub for technical development of CMCs, which will find applications in a broad range of future Rolls-Royce power systems.