The Exploration Company acquires Thrustworks and brings a specialist in additive manufacturing technologies into the company. TEC is pursuing a clear strategy: the team strengthens the supply chain, expands the production of high-performance propulsion components, and invests in new facilities in North Rhine-Westphalia. Additional manufacturing capacity and new skilled jobs are being created there.
Thrustworks focuses on printed refractory metals, oxidation-resistant coatings, and high-precision propulsion components. The company is among the first providers in Europe to successfully commercialize a technology for printing and coating high-performance thrust chambers made from niobium alloy C103. This technology is suitable for both civil and defense applications and directly supports TEC’s strategic objectives.
TEC develops proprietary products to support its own programs and operational requirements. The team already uses these products to fully control performance, quality, and technological differentiation. Now the company is opening this technology to external customers as well, creating a new commercial perspective. TEC is transforming internal expertise into a competitive advantage that generates growth and strengthens its innovation profile. Thrustworks supports this approach and provides the appropriate manufacturing depth.
Hélène Huby, CEO and founder of The Exploration Company, says:
“With this merger, we are integrating a unique niobium printing capacity and a great team within TEC and scaling it in service of European industry. We intend to offer our customers applications ranging from satellite propulsion systems to engines for defense purposes.”
Expansion in North Rhine-Westphalia
Christopher Mihm, managing director of Thrustworks, and his co-founders Alexander Albrecht and Felix Thiel emphasize the significance of this step:
“Joining TEC is a decisive step for Thrustworks. Together, we will expand our activities in North Rhine-Westphalia and enhance our additive manufacturing capabilities to strengthen Europe’s resilient space supply chain.”
The Exploration Company is a space company with the goal of building accessible, sustainable, and collaborative space logistics. The company was founded in 2021 by Hélène Huby and currently employs around 400 people at multiple locations. In 2024, the startup completed a Series B funding round of 150 million euros.
