Vertical Aerospace Strengthens VX4 Industrialisation with Strategic Partnership with Syensqo
Vertical Aerospace (“Vertical” or “the Company”) [NYSE: EVTL], a pioneering global aerospace and technology firm focused on electric aviation, today announced a significant long-term partnership with Syensqo, a leading provider of advanced composite and adhesive materials. This collaboration marks a crucial step in Vertical’s plan to industrialise its VX4 aircraft, a state-of-the-art electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) platform designed for safe, efficient, and sustainable urban air mobility.
The partnership builds on several years of close collaboration between the teams at Vertical and Syensqo, with the latter’s materials already playing a vital role in the company’s prototype programme. Moving forward, Syensqo’s high-performance composites and adhesives will be integrated across the VX4’s entire airframe, providing the lightweight strength, structural efficiency, and durability required for repeated take-offs and landings—a critical factor for the high-cycle operations inherent to commercial eVTOL services.
“Securing advanced composite materials is pivotal to ensuring that the VX4 can maintain safety and performance at scale,” said Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace. “We are bringing the VX4 to market alongside leading global partners, and deepening our successful partnership with Syensqo as our advanced-materials supplier is a vital step in that journey. Their decades of expertise in lightweight, high-performance composites—combined with our shared commitment to safety and certification—will help us deliver a resilient, agile aircraft as we progress toward commercial operations.”
Advanced Materials at the Core of VX4 Performance
Syensqo’s advanced materials bring decades of aerospace experience, having supplied high-performance composites and adhesives to many of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers and defence organisations. This expertise ensures that the VX4’s structure will achieve optimal strength-to-weight ratios, allowing the aircraft to operate efficiently while meeting rigorous certification standards. By integrating Syensqo’s materials, Vertical strengthens its ability to support both civil and defence applications of the VX4 platform, reflecting a versatile approach to electric aviation.
Rodrigo Elizondo, President of Syensqo Composite Materials, emphasized the collaborative benefits of the partnership:
We are honored to deepen our collaboration with Vertical. Our advanced composite and adhesive technologies are designed to push the boundaries of lightweighting and performance, supporting the VX4’s journey toward safer, cleaner, and more efficient air mobility. As Vertical moves into certification and industrialisation, we look forward to bringing our scientific expertise and strong customer partnership to support the VX4’s successful entry into full-scale production.
The VX4 airframe itself will be manufactured by Aciturri, a global leader in aerostructures supply. Aciturri’s involvement ensures that Vertical can transition smoothly from prototype testing to full commercial production. The combination of Syensqo’s cutting-edge materials and Aciturri’s manufacturing capabilities underscores a carefully coordinated supply chain strategy, crucial for meeting ambitious timelines for certification and market launch.
Building a Resilient Supply Chain
This latest announcement is part of Vertical’s broader effort to formalize the core supply chain for the VX4 certification aircraft. Alongside partners such as Honeywell and Aciturri, Vertical is establishing a network of global suppliers that can support not only production but also operational reliability, maintenance, and scalability. By integrating world-class expertise across materials, manufacturing, avionics, and propulsion systems, Vertical is creating a robust foundation for industrial-scale eVTOL operations.
“Industrialisation is more than just building aircraft—it is about creating a resilient, scalable ecosystem that can deliver safe, reliable, and efficient air mobility at commercial scale,” said Simpson. “Our collaboration with Syensqo ensures that the materials used in the VX4 meet the highest standards for performance and safety, supporting our long-term goal of launching a globally certified eVTOL aircraft.”
Certification and Commercialisation Timeline
The VX4 is targeting certification in 2028, after which Vertical plans to enter commercial service. The aircraft is designed with a certification-ready architecture suitable for global markets, reflecting an emphasis on regulatory compliance from the outset. Key features include an optimized passenger cabin, efficient luggage storage, and an airframe engineered for high-cycle operations.
The integration of advanced materials from Syensqo is critical to achieving the structural performance required for repeated take-offs and landings while minimizing weight. These materials also contribute to energy efficiency, extended range, and overall sustainability—core aspects of Vertical’s mission to provide clean and safe urban air mobility.
Global Collaboration Drives Innovation
The partnership illustrates the importance of collaboration in advancing electric aviation. Bringing together expertise in materials science, aerostructures, and aircraft systems allows Vertical to de-risk production challenges and accelerate the VX4’s industrialisation. By working closely with suppliers, the company is able to align technical standards, quality assurance processes, and certification requirements, ensuring a smoother path from prototype to commercial operations.
“Syensqo’s decades of aerospace expertise make them an ideal partner as we advance toward both civil and defence applications,” added Simpson. “The success of the VX4 depends not only on innovative design but also on the seamless integration of global supply chain capabilities. Our strategic partnerships ensure that we can deliver a resilient, high-performance aircraft ready for the challenges of commercial service.”
Advancing Electric Aviation
The VX4 represents a major step forward in electric aviation, combining zero-emission propulsion with advanced design and high operational efficiency. By incorporating Syensqo’s lightweight composites and adhesives, the aircraft achieves a balance between structural integrity, safety, and energy efficiency. This is essential for urban air mobility applications, where repeated short-haul flights, rapid turnarounds, and high reliability are critical.
Vertical Aerospace continues to position itself at the forefront of the eVTOL sector, with a focus on global scalability, safety, and certification. Strategic collaborations with partners like Syensqo and Aciturri not only enhance the technical capabilities of the VX4 but also demonstrate Vertical’s commitment to delivering sustainable and innovative urban air mobility solutions.
Vertical plans to unveil the latest VX4 design on 10 December in London, highlighting the aircraft’s industry-leading design, certification-ready architecture, passenger and luggage capacity, and integration of advanced materials. This event will mark a significant milestone in the company’s journey toward full commercialisation and serve as a platform to demonstrate how global partnerships accelerate innovation in electric aviation.
The expanded collaboration with Syensqo ensures that the VX4 is equipped with state-of-the-art materials capable of meeting the rigorous demands of commercial eVTOL operations. As cities around the world explore urban air mobility solutions, Vertical Aerospace is poised to deliver a resilient, efficient, and environmentally responsible aircraft that can meet the operational and regulatory requirements of global markets.
The strengthened partnership between Vertical Aerospace and Syensqo represents a critical milestone in the VX4 programme. By combining Vertical’s innovative approach to electric aviation with Syensqo’s advanced composite and adhesive expertise, the collaboration sets a new benchmark for industrialisation, safety, and efficiency in the eVTOL sector. With certification targeted for 2028 and commercial service on the horizon, the VX4 exemplifies how strategic partnerships and advanced materials technology can drive the future of urban air mobility.
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