Business

Growing Lisburn-aerospace firm announces acquisition of English manufacturer

Michael Rice, CEO of Causeway Aero Group welcomes Rick Crosby to the team at the firm's new Lissue manufacturing facility in Lisburn.
Michael Rice, CEO of Causeway Aero Group welcomes Rick Crosby to the team at the firm's new Lissue manufacturing facility in Lisburn. Michael Rice, CEO of Causeway Aero Group welcomes Rick Crosby to the team at the firm's new Lissue manufacturing facility in Lisburn.

A LISBURN-based aerospace firm has acquired an English manufacturer as it continues on a path of growth.

Causeway Aero has purchased Bristol business, Race Completions, adding to to the company's existing design and manufacture capabilities.

The deal also gives the Lisburn group approval to manufacture more aircraft parts and appliances for the likes of Airbus.

Causeway Aero specialises in stress analysis and design, particularly of aircraft structures and systems and just last month announced it is to more than double staff numbers after securing £500,000 from a new investment fund.

Causeway has become the first company in the north to receive money from the £30m Growth Finance Fund, with the cash injection set to support the creation of 17 new jobs.

Speaking about the latest acquisition, Michael Rice, CEO of Causeway Aero said the deal is a "huge step forward" for the growing company.

"Race Completions is located in the midst of the aerospace sector in Bristol and gives Causeway a strong presence where the likes of Airbus is situated," he said.

"Race brings with it a wealth of expertise particularly across design, manufacturing and maintenance."

“Causeway has built rapidly from its tremendous heritage as a leading aero engineering company. In the last nine months we have expanded our in-house design, stress, certification and technical publications capabilities with world-class quality management, procurement, sub-contract manufacture and assembly capabilities so that we can provide our customers a full engineering and production solution," Mr Rice said.

Rick Crosby, managing director of Race Completions, who is joining the Causeway Aero team as part of the deal, added:

"Being part of the Causeway Aero Group gives us now the mass production capabilities demanded by many of our existing clients, and the market.

“In all my years in aerospace engineering, I’ve not seen a more experienced team which has been in place from the outset. Causeway’s capabilities and infrastructure are second to none and its apparent that their new Lissue manufacturing facility in Lisburn gives them true mass production capability. This is a great fit for Race Completions and I look forward to the future with this impressive team and company.”

Founded in 2016 by five local aerospace companies, Causeway Aero Group is an aircraft interiors manufacturer and provides a range of technical solutions, along with management, procurement and sub contract services.

The business moved to a new 20,000 sq ft headquarters in Lisburn earlier this year.