Hexcel Corp. (Stamford, Conn.; www.hexcel.com) has officially opened its new plant at the Les Roches-Roussillon Chemicals Industry Platform in Isère, France. Attending the event were Muriel Pénicaud, French Labor Minister, Yannick Neuder, Vice-President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region for higher education, research, innovation and European funding, and Nick Stanage, Hexcel Chairman, CEO and President, as well as local dignitaries, Hexcel customers, and media representatives.
The new 37-acre plant is the company’s first combined precursor and carbon-fiber plant outside the United States. Four years after the project launch, the site is operational and increasing Hexcel’s global carbon fiber production capacity. Hexcel invested 200 million Euros in the plant that will generate 120 direct and 250 indirect jobs. Hexcel’s workforce in France has now risen to 1,200 people with more than 1,000 employees located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.