Quickstep Ramps Up Expansion Strategy into EV and UAV Markets

Australia’s largest independent aerospace advanced composites manufacturer, Quickstep Holdings Limited, has ramped up its expansion strategy in recent months with the signing of two significant Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), following a major acquisition announced late last year.

Vaulta, the new Australian battery casing technology company, and Quickstep, announced on February 2 they will work together to develop products and capabilities for the high growth market in electric-powered land and air vehicles.

This follows a recent MOU announced with American unmanned aerial logistics company, Volansi Inc., and Quickstep to leverage each other’s industry knowledge in the growing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market.

As a leader in long-range, heavy-payload drones, Volansi provides delivery services for customers in commercial, defence and humanitarian sectors across a range of emerging markets.

The new agreement outlines the activities both corporations will undertake to engage with various regulatory bodies and various stakeholders to promote Volansi drones to the commercial and defence markets. Notably, the company was recently selected to participate in the $400 million Skyborg program with the U.S. Airforce.

“Expanding our presence in the unmanned sector is a key element of Quickstep’s growth strategy. We are excited by this opportunity to build our relationship with Volansi, who have already established credibility in the Advanced Air Mobility market with their mature platform range.”

– Mark Burgess, CEO of Quickstep

Quickstep is the largest independent aerospace-grade advanced composite manufacturer in Australia. With manufacturing based in Sydney, NSW and R&D facilities in Geelong, Victoria, the company is expanding its operations. 

In November, Quickstep announced it had acquired Boeing’s Defence Australia’s maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capability, based in Victoria.

Operating from a world-class MRO facility located next to Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne, QAS offers services across a wide range of composite, bonded and conventional metal aircraft structures to the defence and commercial aerospace markets, both in Australia and internationally.

Volansi and Quickstep will continue discussions around the potential application of Quickstep’s proprietary aerospace manufacturing process, ‘AeroQure’, to manufacture the Volansi drones.

“This MOU will allow us the opportunity to combine our depth of industry knowledge with Quickstep’s composite component expertise to grow our market presence in Australia as well as the Asia-Pacific region.”

– Hannan Parvizian, CEO and Co-Founder of Volansi.

Feb 2021