35 years of innovation in the aviation industry made in Austria - FACC

2024 marks the 35th anniversary of FACC. Since its foundation in 1989, the company has grown from a small team of visionaries in the Fischer Ski & Tennis research department to a global player of the aerospace industry. Today, you will not find a single major aircraft that does not have FACC technology solutions on board. FACC has enjoyed great success on the international market for 35 years. All major aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, Bombardier, COMAC, Collins, Rolls Royce and Pratt & Whitney place their trust in the know-how of the Austrian aviation specialist, which has enabled considerable weight savings and thus lower fuel consumption in flight operations with its lightweight construction innovations from the very beginning.

In the early 1980s, a team of visionaries at ski manufacturer Fischer conducted research into resilient and ultra-lightweight materials – it was precisely these technologies that had a disruptive impact on the aviation industry. On 1 October 1989, the formerly independent division was spun off from the Fischer ski group, resulting in the founding of FACC (at that time short for "Fischer Advanced Composite Components") as a fully owned subsidiary of Fischer. 

FACC CEO, Robert Machtlinger, commented: "A corporate spirit focused on offering the best solutions for our customers and identifying new business areas is still a hallmark of FACC, even 35 years later. The aerospace industry has undergone a highly dynamic development in recent years. Lightweight construction as a cross-sectional technology to meet the climate targets in aviation has never been in greater demand. With our global customers in our core segment – civil aviation – and new players on the market (UAM and Space), we are able to contribute our innovative strength to making flying even more sustainable as a partner of all major OEMs. With the opportunities and prospects of a global company with locations all over the world, we are now excellently positioned to meet the global requirements of the aerospace industry in a targeted manner."

Focusing on the future

Celebrating our 35-year anniversary is above all an opportunity to look into the future: The aerospace industry currently boasts full order books for years to come. FACC is also benefiting from this with a record order backlog of USD 5.8 billion. This growth is set to continue in the future – by 2042, demand for new aircraft in civil aviation will exceed 40,000. The next generation of aircraft will set new standards in terms of sustainability. The major goal of the international industry is to achieve a 75% cut in CO2 emissions by 2050 – lightweight construction solutions by FACC will make a significant contribution to achieving this goal.

Committed to the sky – at all levels

In 2021, FACC set its strategic course for the future and successfully began to enter into the new fields of Urban Air Mobility and Space in addition to civil aviation as its core segment. Particularly in the urban sector, aviation is on the verge of a revolution. With numerous orders from leading eVTOL manufacturers (drones and air taxis), FACC was able to make a significant contribution to the development of these new mobility systems. By 2050, 68% of the population is expected to live in megacities with more than 10 million inhabitants, resulting in a strong demand for urban mobility. The UAM market has enormous growth potential, with analysts estimating this segment at around USD 50 billion per year from 2040 onwards.

Corporate culture as a guarantee of success

FACC's corporate culture is the key to its success. "What sets us all apart at FACC is our passion for lightweight construction and aviation – and our commitment to developing innovative, tailor-made solutions for our customers worldwide," CEO Robert Machtlinger is convinced. With 3,500 employees from 45 nations, FACC is excellently positioned for the years ahead. In addition to its innovative strength, the DNA of the FACC crew also includes reliability, know-how, maximum efficiency and quality, all of which are important key elements for the successful future development of the company.