Cambium Expands U.S. Prepreg Manufacturing with New North Carolina Facility

Updated on July 17, 2026 • 4 min read

Cambium has announced a major expansion of its U.S. composites manufacturing footprint with the construction of a 60,000-square-foot facility in Mooresville, North Carolina, significantly increasing domestic prepreg production capacity to support aerospace, defense and space applications.

The new manufacturing center will serve as the next phase of growth for SHD Composites, the U.K.-based advanced materials manufacturer acquired by Cambium just over six months ago.

According to the company, the facility is expected to quadruple SHD’s U.S. production capacity and will begin coming online later in 2026.

Vertically Integrated Manufacturing for Faster Production

The new SHD Mooresville Rapid Manufacturing Center has been designed as a vertically integrated operation covering the entire prepreg manufacturing process.

The planned facility will include:

• Resin formulation and mixing
• Film production
• Carbon fiber prepreg manufacturing
• Materials testing
• Product development

Integrating these operations within a single manufacturing site is intended to shorten production lead times, improve process control and accelerate product development for customers requiring rapid material qualification and delivery.

Expansion Supports Growing Advanced Materials Demand

The U.S. expansion follows the commissioning of additional prepreg and film coating production lines at SHD’s manufacturing facility in Sleaford, United Kingdom, earlier this year.

Together, the U.S. and U.K. investments form part of a broader manufacturing expansion strategy designed to increase secure advanced materials production across the United States, United Kingdom and European Union.

Cambium said the investment supports customers operating in sectors where supply chain resilience and rapid production have become increasingly important, including:

• Defense
• Aerospace
• Space
• High-performance motorsports
• Other advanced engineering industries

Demand Continues to Outpace Traditional Supply Chains

According to Cambium Chief Executive Officer Simon Waddington, demand for advanced composite materials continues to grow faster than conventional manufacturing capacity.

The company expects future aerospace and defense programs to require shorter development cycles, increasing the importance of suppliers capable of delivering qualified materials within significantly reduced lead times.

Rather than focusing solely on production volume, the expansion also emphasizes manufacturing responsiveness and localized supply capability.

Regional Manufacturing Strengthens Composite Supply Chains

Professor’s Analysis

The prepreg industry has traditionally relied on relatively concentrated manufacturing capacity, often serving global customers from a limited number of production sites.

However, geopolitical uncertainty, defense procurement priorities and aerospace production increases are driving investment in regionalized composite manufacturing.

Vertical integration provides several operational advantages. Producing resin systems, films and prepregs within the same facility improves material traceability, reduces logistics complexity and enables tighter process control throughout production.

For aerospace and defense customers, domestic manufacturing also supports supply chain security while reducing transportation risks associated with temperature-sensitive prepreg materials.

As qualification requirements become more demanding, manufacturers are increasingly competing on production flexibility and technical support in addition to material performance.

Capacity Expansion Reflects Broader Industry Trends

Cambium’s latest investment highlights a broader trend across the advanced composites industry toward expanding localized manufacturing capacity closer to strategic customers.

As aerospace, defense and space programs continue increasing demand for high-performance composite materials, manufacturers are investing in vertically integrated production systems capable of supporting both higher output and faster response times.

For the composites sector, the expansion illustrates how future competitiveness will depend not only on material innovation but also on resilient manufacturing infrastructure and secure regional supply chains.

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