Boeing

The Boeing Company and RMB Products, Inc., of Fountain, Colo., today announced the sale of On Demand Manufacturing, Inc., a wholly owned Boeing subsidiary, to RMB. Purchase terms were not disclosed.

On Demand Manufacturing has pioneered the use of a selective laser sintering (SLS) rapid manufacturing process for the advanced digital manufacturing of flight-certified aircraft components. Digital SLS manufacturing technology offers low-cost fabrication of small lots of complex, hard-to-manufacture parts.

RMB Products, Inc., a long-time Boeing supplier and a leading manufacturer of nonmetallic aircraft components, provides engineered thermoplastic materials and seamless rotationally molded environmental control system duct assemblies to the aircraft industry.

"We believe the sale makes sense for both Boeing and RMB Products," said Miller Adams, vice president of Boeing Technology Ventures. "While Boeing is focused on large-scale systems integration, the fabrication work at On Demand Manufacturing is a natural fit with the work at RMB Products, which has the resources and experience to expand the use of SLS rapid manufacturing technology and, as a result, provide Boeing with even lower-cost, high-quality products."

"We consider digital manufacturing the wave of the future and are excited at its potential," said RMB Products President Randy Gardiner. "We look forward to working closely with other industry leaders to perfect and promote this emerging technology. The acquisition of ODM fits into the vertically integrated capabilities offered by RMB Products, making it complementary to our current expertise."

RMB will continue to operate On Demand Manufacturing from its current facility in Camarillo, Calif., and continue to service existing customers, including Boeing, while expanding its customer base and pursuing alternative SLS materials, Gardiner said.

With a heritage that mirrors the first 100 years of flight, Boeing is the world's leading aerospace company and a top U.S. exporter in terms of sales. Providing products and services to customers in 145 countries, Boeing is a global market leader in commercial jetliners, military aircraft, satellites, missile defense, human space flight, and launch systems and services.