ATC Manufacturing Expands Defense Capabilities with U.S. Air Force Contract

Lakeside on March 24, 2026

High-rate thermoplastic composites capability positions North Idaho for next-generation defense aircraft

 ATC Manufacturing (ATC) has been awarded a contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for a program titled “Thermoplastic Composites for Large High-Rate Aircraft Structures.” At the center of this capability expansion is the use of a new large-format hydraulic press engineered specifically for high-rate thermoplastic processing capable of forming parts up to 122 inches (~10’ feet) x 61 inches (~5’ feet), significantly expanding the possibilities for next-generation defense and commercial platforms.

This contract marks a strategic expansion of ATC’s footprint in defense applications, reinforcing its role as a key partner in next-generation aerospace structures. ATC will be partnering with partners Anduril Industries and Toray Advanced Composites on this innovative program.

This new investment in high-rate thermoplastic processing is expected to drive job growth at ATC’s Post Falls, Idaho location. “Idaho manufacturing is lucky to have the support of Senator Crapo and Senator Risch,” said Pat Jones, President of ATC Manufacturing. “ATC shares their commitment to protect and expand our domestic supply chains and we are growing to meet the global demand for advanced aerospace manufacturing with American engineers right here in Idaho.”

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ATC Manufacturing Selected as 2024 Top Shop

Lakeside on January 14, 2025

Portfolio company ATC Manufacturing was recently honored to be featured in CompositesWorld as a 2024 Top Shop for composites manufacturing with an article highlighting ATC’s contributions to advanced thermoplastic composites. The article showcases ATC’s legacy of innovation, detailing how the company’s cutting-edge materials and manufacturing techniques have helped drive progress in aerospace manufacturing.

“Our focus is on high-rate, cost-saving applications where thermoplastics can really shine,” explains ATC business development manager Jason Merrifield. “Picture stamping out a new part every few minutes versus laying up and curing parts; it’s a more efficient process….When we talk about aerospace parts at automotive rates, thermoplastics are definitely a candidate for that because you can scale up quickly,” says Merrifield. “Anywhere you have a high volume of parts, that’s where thermoplastics really excel.”

Read the full article on CompositesWorld to learn more about our journey and the innovations shaping the future of thermoplastic composites.

ATC Selected as Key Partner for NASA HiCAM Project

Lakeside on April 17, 2023

ATC Manufacturing, a Lakeside company, has been chosen as a key partner on NASA’s Hi-Rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) project. As a key member of both the HiCAM project and the Advanced Composites Consortium, ATC will continue to lead advancements in sustainability, durability, and performance for the aerospace and high-performance materials industries.

Boeing Signs Expanded Contract with ATC Manufacturing

Lakeside on February 17, 2023

ATC Manufacturing announced the award of an expanded agreement by Boeing for various thermoplastic composite components. This contract builds upon ATC’s existing relationship with Boeing as a Boeing Premier Bidder and key supplier to all active commercial aircraft programs.

Partner David Leach Announced As 2022 SAMPE Fellow

Lakeside on August 19, 2022

David Leach has been announced this week as one of four people selected as a SAMPE Fellow in 2022. SAMPE is the leading professional society for high performance composites. He will be honored at a ceremony at CAMX in October

ATC Partners with University of Delaware and NASA

Lakeside on December 10, 2020

ATC Manufacturing, a Lakeside Company, has announced their selection as a partner for developing ‘Materials and Structures for Next-Generation Aerospace Systems,” with the University of Delaware Center for Composite Materials / NASA University Leadership Initiative (ULI).

ATC Named Top Composites Manufacturer

Lakeside on November 13, 2020

ATC Manufacturing, a Lakeside Company, was recently named a top composites shop by CompositesWorld. CompositesWorld, in cooperation with Gardner Intelligence, launched the CW Top Shops benchmarking survey, designed to help composites manufacturing operations measure and assess how well they compare to other members of the industry.