Element acquires Orbit lab for NDT testing

UK’s Element Materials Technology (Element) has acquired Orbit Industries in the US, further strengthening its position in non-destructive testing (NDT) for the aerospace industry.

Headquartered near Cleveland Ohio, Orbit is a Nadcap and ISO 17025 accredited laboratory that also operates out of four other satellite inspection facilities across Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. With over 30 prime approvals, Orbit, a leader in the NDT industry, specialises in ultrasonic, liquid penetrant, magnetic particle and chemical processing for raw materials, semi-finished and finished products, including landing gear components, airfoils and aluminum wheels.

Charles Noall, President and CEO of Element, said: “We are delighted to welcome Orbit, a world-class inspection facility, to the Element Group. In the past few years we have invested heavily in expanding our NDT platform in order to meet the strong-ramp up in engine and structure production that the aerospace industry is experiencing.”

He added, “The addition of Orbit complements our existing aerospace NDT facilities in California, Connecticut, Houston, Portland and Monterrey, Mexico, strengthening our footprint, capacity and capabilities and enabling us to deliver cost savings for our clients.’’

John Alexandrovic, CEO, Orbit, commented ‘’Since our formation in 1965, we have become one of the leading providers of NDT services to aerospace primes and Tier 1 suppliers in the United States. We see partnering with Element as an opportunity to expand our capabilities and capacity so we can continue to offer our customers testing solutions of the best quality, lead time and price in the industry.’’

Element is one of the world’s leading providers of aerospace non-destructive testing services to the global aerospace sector. Its facilities across the Americas and Europe specialise in the latest testing and inspection services, including services such as digital x-ray, immersion ultrasonic and etching services.

Element’s expanded network of 6,500 engaged experts operate out of 189 laboratories in 33 countries and are trusted by organizations to test and advise on the safety, quality, performance and compliance of their products, systems and operations.