Matrix Composites & Engineering is undertaking the construction of a new state of the art facility in the Australian Marine Complex (AMC) Subsea Cluster at Henderson, south of Perth.

To be built in two stages on an 8.4 Hectare site, the Stage I complex will incorporate an integrated buoyancy manufacturing facility that includes bulk chemical storage, warehousing, composite sphere manufacturing, composite layup and casting, painting, dispatch and one of the world's largest full scale hyperbaric testing centers.

When completed in 2010 this facility will house the largest and most sophisticated syntactic foam buoyancy plant in the world and will more than double Matrix's current production capacity. Utilizing material technologies derived from the aerospace industry and Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Matrix's Henderson plant will be capable of manufacturing and testing riser buoyancy and production buoyancy of virtually any size to water depths of 16,500' (5030msw). Construction of a fully instrumented, 63" internal diameter 16,500' test chamber is underway and will be housed in this facility during the second quarter of 2010.

Construction of Stage 1 is underway and operations are due to commence in April 2010.

Tags: Matrix Composites & Engineering