KVE celebrates 30 years of innovation and accelerates its growth within the Daher Group

KVE by Daher is marking its 30th anniversary with the inauguration of a significant expansion of its production facility in The Hague — a development that signals the start of a new acceleration phase for the Dutch manufacturer. This growth is fueled by robust demand across the aerospace and defense markets, KVE’s recognized expertise in advanced composite technologies, and the strong industrial synergies created since its integration into the Daher Group in 2019.

Established in 1996, KVE has built a solid reputation in the design, manufacturing and repair of high‑value composite structures. The company’s activity is predominantly focused on defense (around 80%) and aerospace (approximately 20%), supplying critical components for radar systems, communication equipment, drones, aircraft wings and next‑generation rotor blades.

30 years of innovation in composites

KVE, originally founded as an engineering firm, has steadily expanded its industrial footprint to become one of Europe’s pioneers in induction welding for thermoplastic composites. This patented process allows complex structures to be assembled without rivets or adhesives, delivering meaningful reductions in weight, cost and production cycle times — a decisive advantage in high‑performance aerospace and defense applications.

Today, the company holds a portfolio of roughly 20 patents and has added six new patented innovations over the past two years, particularly in radomes, composite blades and thermoplastic welding technologies. These advancements further reinforce KVE’s position as a leading European specialist in advanced composite manufacturing.

Accelerated growth since joining Daher

Daher’s acquisition of KVE in 2019 represented a decisive milestone in the group’s industrial evolution. KVE’s mastery of thermoplastic composites and induction welding brought a highly complementary set of technologies to Daher’s established strengths in the development, industrialization, certification and production of complex aerospace structures. Together, the two companies have built a fully integrated value chain covering the design, manufacturing and certification of advanced composite components — reinforcing Daher’s position as a leading European player in next‑generation materials and aerostructures.

KVE has experienced a remarkable acceleration since 2020, with its revenue increasing fourfold and its workforce tripling. This momentum reflects both strong market demand and the support provided by Daher — notably its industrial know‑how, certification expertise, investment capacity, business development resources and access to leading aerospace and defense customers. KVE’s EN9100 certification further strengthens its position, enabling the company to meet the stringent quality and performance standards required in these sectors.

Expanding industrial capabilities

KVE invested more than €2.5 million between 2025 and 2026 to acquire new equipment, automate key manufacturing processes and expand its overall production capacity — a strategic effort aligned with the company’s rapid growth and rising customer demand.

Unveiled during KVE’s 30th‑anniversary celebrations, the new Ypenburg facility — located on the historic grounds of the former Fokker aircraft manufacturer in The Hague — adds nearly 1,800 square meters to the company’s footprint. The site will host a dedicated production line for blade manufacturing, wing structures and advanced composite components serving the aerospace and defense sectors. This expansion strengthens KVE’s ability to support increasing customer production rates while further enhancing the industrial performance and competitiveness of its Dutch operations.

A new phase of growth

Pierre Rouch, Managing Director of KVE commented: "KVE's 30th anniversary is an important milestone, but above all, it marks the beginning of a new chapter. Since joining Daher, we have significantly accelerated our development. By combining our expertise in advanced composites with the Daher Group's industrial capabilities, aerospace experience and international presence, we have created an environment that fosters innovation and growth. These new investments will enable us to sustainably support the ramp-up of our customers' aerospace and defense programs."

KVE aims to continue evolving as Daher’s incubator for advanced composite solutions, reinforcing its role as a driver of next‑generation materials and manufacturing technologies. The company will pursue further investment in industrial capabilities, automation and innovation to support future European aerospace and defense programs, while strengthening its position within the Dutch industrial and technology ecosystem.