Lockheed acquires stake in one of its component suppliers
Suntivia supplies components for the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet, this one of which flew over Flight Week on Oct. 7, 2022 in San Francisco. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
By
Ross Wilkers
The defense giant deepened its relationship with a company that uses 3D printing to make certain products for flight applications.
Lockheed Martin has made a direct equity investment in Sintavia, a company that uses additive manufacturing and three-dimensional printing techniques to make advanced thermodynamic components.
Sintavia's product line includes multi-circuit heat exchangers, thermodynamic chassis and monolithic cooling pumps for use in flight applications. WT understands that Lockheed made a $20 million investment into Sintavia for what is now an 18% ownership stake.
“This investment not only cements the relationship between Lockheed Martin and Sintavia, but also demonstrates the fact that Sintavia’s thermodynamic components—optimized through additive technology—are sought after by the largest and most substantial prime integrators within the aerospace & defense industry,” Sintavia’s founder and chief executive Brian Neff said in a release Wednesday.
That relationship Neff cited began in 2019, when Sintavia became a component supplier to Lockheed for some of its largest programs, including the F-35 fighter jet. In December 2022, the companies expanded their collaboration to include research into 3D printing as an alternative to traditional design methods, such as casting and forging.
“We look forward to strengthening our collaboration on the design and supply of additively manufactured parts across the defense industrial base," added David Tatro, vice president for operations process transformation at Lockheed Martin.
RBC Capital Markets, LLC acted as financial adviser to Sintavia, which also looked to Alvarez & Diaz-Silveira LLP as legal counsel.