Niobium AM specialist Thrustworks acquired by The Exploration Company
The Exploration Company (TEC), headquartered in Munich, Germany, has announced the acquisition of Thrustworks Additive Manufacturing GmbH, a service provider specialising in the Additive Manufacturing of refractory alloys for aerospace and hypersonics, based in Mönchengladbach.
The transaction is intended to strengthen TEC’s supply chain and enable new investment in North Rhine-Westphalia to expand advanced manufacturing, create skilled jobs, and accelerate the production of high-performance propulsion components.
In a joint statement, Thrustworks founders Christopher Mihm, Alexander Albrecht, and Felix Thiel, stated, “Joining The Exploration Company marks a defining step for ThrustWorks. Together, we will scale our operations in North Rhine-Westphalia and expand our Additive Manufacturing capabilities to strengthen Europe’s resilient space supply chain.”
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TEC noted that Thrustworks is one of the first companies to commercialise an EU-based capability for the Additive Manufacturing and coating of high-performance thrust chambers made from niobium alloy C103, used for both civil and defence applications.
TEC’s in-house products have been developed to support its own programmes and operational needs, giving full control over performance, quality, and technological differentiation. The company believes that beyond the internal value of its product, they represent a strong commercial opportunity with external customers facing similar technical and operational challenges. By opening these products to the market, TEC intends to transform its capabilities into a commercial asset, supporting growth and innovation. Thrustworks is reportedly aligned with this approach.
“With this merger, we integrate within TEC and scale at the service of the European industry a unique niobium printing capability and a great team,” stated Helene Huby, CEO and founder of TEC. “We intend to serve our clients with applications ranging from satellite thrusters to thrusters for defence applications.”
