London-based tactical packaging developer Astor Defence has announced the construction of a new production center on the South Coast of England.
The hub will incorporate several design, testing, and manufacturing facilities at the site to expand business for British and global defense customers.
It will include an advanced assembly line with a six-stage zinc phosphate pretreatment plant for TTC490 military standard coatings, as well as automated powder coating, wet paint, and ultraviolet print lines to sustain the production of over 5,000 boxes per day.
The project will also provide the company with in-house laboratories to demonstrate ammunition cases.
These labs will contain salt fog corrosion machines, tensile test equipment, elevated storage ovens, and applied vacuum engineering chambers for corresponding surface, high-temperature, and air pressure evaluations.
“We are really excited about the future possibilities these new production facilities will offer to our customers,” Astor Defence Managing Director Henry Turnbull said in a Defence Industry Europe report.
“Our new state of the art capabilities will enable us to carry out all required testing in house plus all our manufacturing will now take place in the UK.”
“This is becoming increasingly important with the economic and political emphasis for UK, US and European Governments moving towards supporting national manufacturing industries.”
US Partnership Expected
Before the second quarter of 2024, Astor will facilitate an on-site visit for the US Department of Defense to promote the center’s capabilities and extend its services to America.
“Representatives from the US Army are visiting in March to witness a First Article Acceptance Test which once approved, will lead to more US Government business in due course,” Turnbull said.
‘Big Boost’ in Local Jobs
The center will create jobs for both skilled and unskilled workers once operational.
The added personnel will support other fields requiring packaging solutions in addition to Astor’s commitments to defense customers.
“We will also be looking to expand our workforce, so this is a big boost for the local towns of Southampton and Portsmouth,” Turnbull stated.
“We believe our quality and expertise within this industry is unrivalled, and we now hope to expand our expertise into packaging for other specialised, technical industries.”
