Teruel Airport and Composite Materials, Aragón’s Hub | from Metal Industria

MetalIndustria, por Helena Abril Lanzuela Técnico de Dinamización de AEMAC

The Teruel Airport (PLATA) in Aragón is emerging as a crucial European hub not only for aircraft MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) but also for the management and recycling of composite materials. According to the Metalindustria report, more than half of modern commercial aircraft weight comes from composites, making Teruel’s platform strategically important for end-of-life handling of large composite structures.

AITIIP, a technology center specializing in composite materials, plays a central role in this emerging circular-economy ecosystem. Through the COMPASS project, backed by the Horizon Europe programme, AITIIP is driving innovation in the dismantling and remanufacturing of high-value composite parts from both aircraft and automotive sectors.

By applying advanced processes (e.g., thermoplastic panel reprocessing, digital twin-based disassembly) and developing a digital passport for component traceability, COMPASS aims to close the materials loop and reduce waste.

In this way, Teruel Airport’s infrastructure combined with AITIIP’s technical expertise, supports COMPASS’s mission to valorize composite waste and promote sustainable, circular innovation in aerospace manufacturing.