Applied Aerospace & Defense Acquires Ultracor to Strengthen Vertical Integration in Composite Manufacturing

Applied Aerospace & Defense has acquired Ultracor, a California based manufacturer of specialized honeycomb core materials used in advanced bonded composites. The move supports Applied’s strategy to vertically integrate key elements of its supply chain, ensuring the company can meet the speed, agility, and production capacity demands of the rapidly expanding space and defense sectors.

Honeycomb core structures are foundational to aerospace systems, providing exceptional stiffness to weight ratios and maintaining mechanical and thermal stability in extreme environments. Ultracor, founded in 1995, produces proprietary honeycomb composites using carbon, quartz, Kevlar, fiberglass, and its own Ultraflex matrix, supplying materials used in satellites, aircraft, missiles, antennas, and radomes.

Leadership Highlights Benefits to Space and Defense Programs

Kevin Bidlack, co chief operating officer at Applied, noted that Ultracor has been a trusted supplier to the aerospace industry for decades. Bringing the company into Applied’s operations will streamline production workflows for complex systems such as next generation tiltrotor aircraft, collaborative combat aircraft, and navigation satellites.

The acquisition enhances Applied’s ability to support both large scale production programs and rapid prototyping efforts, particularly as demand grows for advanced composite structures in space and defense applications.

Proximity to Major Manufacturing Campus Supports Integration

Ultracor is located near Applied’s largest manufacturing site in Stockton, California, a ten building, 25 acre campus purpose built for aerospace systems. This facility is part of Applied’s nationwide footprint, which includes eleven sites across six states and more than 1.5 million square feet of production capacity. The expanded infrastructure enables Applied to support programs of record while accelerating development for emerging platforms.

About Applied Aerospace & Defense

Applied Aerospace & Defense provides advanced design, engineering, and vertically integrated manufacturing solutions for space and defense customers. The company focuses on three core markets: Space and Launch Systems, Defense Aviation and Airborne Systems, and C5ISR and Precision Strike Systems. With decades of heritage in complex aerospace manufacturing, Applied combines material science expertise with rapid prototyping and scalable production capabilities across its nationwide facilities.