BELAGAVI, KARNATAKA — In a major boost to India’s “Make in India” aerospace manufacturing capabilities, Magellan Aerospace (Magellan) and Aequs Limited (Aequs) have announced the opening of a brand-new, state-of-the-art joint venture (JV) aerospace processing facility.
Located in Belagavi, Karnataka, the new plant is fully operational and significantly scales up the capabilities of their long-standing partnership under Aerospace Processing India (API).
The 55,000-square-foot building is engineered to support the rapid expansion plans of both parent companies alongside a growing roster of global aerospace customers in the region. Marking an 18-year milestone for the Magellan-Aequs JV, this aggressive expansion establishes one of the largest dedicated aerospace processing and treatment facilities in India.
Scaling Capacities to Meet Global Standards
The newly commissioned plant brings immediate high-end capacity to the Indian aerospace supply chain, adding over one million square feet of processing area annually.
A core differentiator of the new facility is its ability to handle component envelope sizes up to 4 meters, a major upgrade from API’s existing limit of 1.2 meters. This allows the JV to process much larger aerostructure and skin components locally, filling a critical gap in the domestic tier-1 manufacturing ecosystem.
Advanced Robotics & Environmental Engineering
The facility integrates cutting-edge automation with a strict focus on green manufacturing. Key features of the new 55,000 Ft² building include:
- Fully Automated Anodizing Lines: Supports Tartaric Acid Anodizing (TSA), Boric Acid Anodizing (BSA), and Sulfuric Acid Anodizing (SAA) processes to provide essential anti-corrosion shielding and paint-adhesion prep for aircraft aluminum.
- End-to-End Surface Treatments: Features advanced chemical processing alongside high-precision dye penetrant non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection.
- Climate-Controlled Paint Suites: Equipped for complex primer and topcoat painting applications under strict, full-laboratory quality control.
- Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD): The facility features a highly advanced, common ZLD effluent treatment plant. This ensures that 100% of the industrial wastewater is purified and recycled back into the facility, leaving zero liquid waste footprint on the surrounding Belagavi environment.
Industry Impact: By pairing 4-meter capability with fully automated, chemical surface treatments, the new facility offers global aerospace OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) an end-to-end, vertically integrated manufacturing alternative right inside India.
The expansion cements Belagavi’s status as a critical aerospace manufacturing hub, helping position the country to absorb the surging demand of the global aviation supply chain.
