Albany International

What Albany International does

Albany International Corp. (NYSE: AIN), founded 1895 and headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is a public advanced materials science company operating two reporting segments. Albany Machine Clothing is the world's leading producer of custom-designed, consumable paper machine clothing (forming, press, and dryer fabrics) and engineered process belts, with 17-plus manufacturing facilities across roughly 22 countries serving global paper and pulp manufacturers with replacement-cycle-driven recurring revenue. Albany Engineered Composites (AEC) designs and manufactures proprietary 3D-woven composite components and assemblies for aerospace and defense, including LEAP engine fan blades, fan cases, and spacers (jointly through Albany Safran Composites with Safran Aircraft Engines), GE9X fan cases, Boeing 787 fuselage frames and waste tanks, F-35 wing skins and lift fan components, CH-53K helicopter sponsons and aft transition assemblies, JASSM/LRASM missile bodies, and AIRSTRUT/FilaWin-derived structural parts.

AEC's manufacturing platform rests on proprietary 3D weaving (with more than 2,000 spooled tows feeding computer-controlled looms), contour weaving, Resin Transfer Molding (RTM), Controlled Volume Molding (CVM), and FilaWin enhanced filament winding technologies capable of glass-transition temperatures up to 400°C. Albany operates 25-32 facilities across 12-14 countries with approximately 5,400-6,000 employees globally, holding AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015, NADCAP, FAA Part 145, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, CTPAT, and CMMC Level 2 certifications.

The business model combines long-term, multi-year enterprise supply agreements with major aerospace primes (Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Safran, GE Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, Bell Textron, Sikorsky) on the AEC side with bespoke, spec-driven recurring consumable sales to paper mills on the Machine Clothing side. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the ASC joint venture and certain government/defense contracts involve competitive bidding. Full-year 2025 revenue was approximately $1.183 billion with reported net loss of $57.3 million driven by a $147 million CH-53K loss reserve; Q1 2026 revenue of $311.3 million grew 7.8% year-over-year.

Name

Albany International

Legal name

Albany International Corp.

Website

https://albint.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Albany International (NYSE: AIN) is a 130-year-old advanced materials science company operating two segments: the world's leading producer of paper machine clothing for paper mills, and Albany Engineered Composites, which designs proprietary 3D-woven composite components for aerospace and defense primes including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Safran, and Rolls-Royce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices22 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Machine Clothing: World's leading producer of custom-designed, consumable fabrics and process belts essential for paper production. Products are consumable items requiring regular replacement, providing recurring revenue from paper mills globally.
2. Albany Engineered Composites (AEC): Growing designer and manufacturer of advanced materials-based engineered components for demanding aerospace applications supporting commercial and military platforms. Revenue from OEM contracts, long-term agreements with defense contractors, and aftermarket spares.
3. Aftermarket and Spare Parts: Provides replacement components for aerospace programs including Boeing waste tanks spares and MRO support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Albany International is a materials science company that designs and manufactures two core product lines: (1) Albany Machine Clothing — custom-designed consumable fabrics and process belts used in paper manufacturing across forming, pressing, and drying sections; and (2) Albany Engineered Composites (AEC) — advanced 3D woven composite components including fan blades, fan cases, wing skins, fuselage frames, sponsons, and missile bodies for commercial aerospace and military defense platforms.

Product overview

Albany International is a materials science company with two core business segments: Albany Machine Clothing (world's leading producer of paper machine clothing for paper production) and Albany Engineered Composites (AEC, manufacturer of advanced 3D woven composite components for aerospace applications). AEC serves as a Tier-2 supplier producing proprietary 3D woven composite parts for commercial aircraft engines (LEAP fan blades, fan cases, spacers), military programs (F-35 wing skins and lift fans, CH-53K sponsons and tail rotor), missile programs (JASSM, LRASM), and space vehicles. The company operates joint ventures with Safran (Albany Safran Composites) for LEAP engine components and serves customers including CFM International, Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky, Boeing, Bell Textron, and Rolls-Royce. Albany Machine Clothing operates 17 facilities across 22 countries, while AEC operates 9 facilities across 4 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Albany Safran Composites (ASC): Joint venture with Safran producing LEAP and GE9X engine fan cases and fan blades using 3D weaving and RTM technology
• CirComp
• FilaWin
• AIRSTRUT
• Heimbach

Products and services

• Albany Machine Clothing World's leading producer of custom-designed, consumable fabrics and process belts essential for paper production. Provides forming fabrics, press fabrics, and dryer fabrics for paper machines, as well as engineered fabrics for nonwovens, fiber cement, and industrial applications. Targets global paper mills requiring consumable replacement products.
• Albany Engineered Composites (AEC) Growing designer and manufacturer of advanced materials-based engineered components for demanding aerospace applications, supporting both commercial and military platforms. Produces 3D woven composite structures for aircraft engines, airframes, missiles, and space vehicles.
• LEAP Engine Components 3D woven composite fan blades, fan cases, and spacers for CFM International LEAP turbofan engines used in Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX, and Comac C919 aircraft. Joint venture with Safran through Albany Safran Composites.
• Fan Cases Engine fan cases manufactured using 3D weaving and Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) for LEAP and GE9X engines. The LEAP fan case is approximately 6 feet in diameter made from carbon fiber and epoxy; the GE9X fan case is approximately 12 feet in diameter made from 3D woven carbon fiber, fiberglass, and epoxy composite.
• Fan Blades 3D woven composite fan blades for the LEAP engine with highly damage-tolerant architecture capable of withstanding birdstrike. Manufactured using automated 3D composite processes more reliable and cost-effective than conventional laminated blade fabrication.
• F-35 Components Composite wing skins (227 unique parts) and lift fan components for F-35 Lightning II fighter jets. AEC has delivered over 40,000 parts for the F-35 program including components for the STOVL variant's lift system.
• CH-53K Components Composite sponsons, tail rotor assembly, aft transition assembly, and horizontal stabilizer for Sikorsky CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. AEC manufactures over 40 composite components for the sponsons and produces the complete aft transition assembly under a ten-year agreement.
• Missile Bodies (JASSM/LRASM) Composite missile fuselage components for Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) and Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) programs using advanced braiding and resin transfer molding technologies.
• Fuselage Frames Composite fuselage frames for Boeing 787 Dreamliner (Sections 41, 43, and 47). Over 85,000 sections delivered since 2015 with zero defects.
• Helicopter Sponsons Assemblies Composite helicopter sponsons providing stability, extra lift, and buoyancy. AEC manufactures over 40 composite components for CH-53K sponsons with sub-assemblies completed in Salt Lake City.
• AIRSTRUT Patented lightweight composite struts and tie rods for aerospace applications including Airbus A350. Uses patented FilaWin filament winding technology for high-strength, lightweight structural components.
• Hydraulic Pressure Accumulators Aramid fiber-reinforced hydraulic pressure vessels manufactured using enhanced filament winding technology. Dampens pressure surges in aircraft hydraulic systems.
• Lift Fan Components Inner Stage Vane (ISV), Outer Guide Vane (OGV), and CIAM assemblies for Rolls-Royce LiftFan used in F-35B STOVL aircraft. Produced using RTM, autoclave curing, and compression molding with 3D woven and 2D laminated reinforcements.
• Heimbach Group German paper machine clothing and technical textiles manufacturer acquired by Albany International in August 2023 for €132 million. Extends Albany's portfolio and market reach in paper machine clothing sector.
• Wing Skins Automated fiber placement (AFP) manufactured composite wing skins for F-35 program at Salt Lake City facility. AEC fabricates 227 unique parts for the program.

Quantifiable outcome

• LEAP engine achieves approximately 15% better fuel efficiency compared to previous generation engines
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic, flagship and minor.

• Cyclezyme ABcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Collaboration on enzyme-based recycling technology for industrial textiles made of polyester and polyamide. Cyclezyme has successfully depolymerized material samples and developed nylon-degrading enzymes, demonstrating potential for circular recycling. Companies have initiated discussions on scaling technology for industrial applications.
• Astris AI (Lockheed Martin)strategicTechnology or Integration · 13 January 2026Strategic collaboration to accelerate AI adoption across AEC's advanced aerospace manufacturing operations. Astris AI will deploy its defense-grade AI Factory platform to help AEC establish AI roadmap, governance frameworks, and surrogate models for predicting composite material properties. First phase of broader supplier modernization initiative.
• Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire ControlcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2025Multiyear contract extensions to continue production of composite components for JASSM and LRASM missile programs from Salt Lake City facility. AEC produces unique composite components using advanced braiding and resin transfer molding technologies.
• Bell TextronstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025Seven-year contract to produce composite structures components for Bell 525 helicopter. New strategic partnership marking AEC's growing footprint in rotorcraft market.
• Safran Aircraft EnginesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2025Strategic partnership extended to 2046 to develop advanced 3D-woven composite components for next-generation aeroengines. The partnership includes three production plants in France, the United States, and Mexico that have delivered over 130,000 parts for the LEAP engine. Joint venture Albany Safran Composites (ASC) operates facilities in Rochester NH, Commercy France, and Querétaro Mexico. Partnership supports aviation industry's net-zero CO2 emissions goal by 2050.
• Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for CH-53K helicopter composite components including sponsons, tail rotor pylon, and aft transition assembly. AEC selected to produce complete aft transition assembly under ten-year agreement covering Lots 7 through 14.
• CFM International (GE/Safran JV)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of LEAP engine components through Albany Safran Composites joint venture. AEC produces fan blades, fan cases, and spacers using proprietary 3D woven technology. LEAP holds 72% of narrowbody market share.
• Watershed and Lumen EnergyminorOthersAlbany International highlighted as early adopter using partnership to evaluate and execute onsite solar projects across dozens of energy-intensive manufacturing sites.
• Reply (SAP implementation partner)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSAP Gold Partner Reply contributed to SAP Sapphire 2026 conference sessions featuring Albany International's S/4HANA financial consolidation transformation success story.

Scale indicators21 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Hexcel Corporation: Hexcel is a leading manufacturer of advanced composite materials (carbon fiber, prepregs, honeycomb) for commercial aerospace and defense, supplying Boeing, Airbus, and engine OEMs. It directly competes with Albany's AEC in composite aerostructures and reinforcements, with similar Tier-2 supplier economics.
• Toray Advanced Composites: Toray Advanced Composites (formerly TenCate) produces thermoset and thermoplastic prepregs and composite materials for aerospace, space, and industrial applications. Overlap with Albany's composite reinforcement textiles and cured laminates is direct, particularly for engine and airframe programs.
• Solvay Composite Materials: Solvay supplies carbon fiber composites, resins, and prepreg systems for aerospace engines and airframes. Like Albany, it serves LEAP-class engine programs with high-temperature materials and competes for similar OEM qualifications.
• FACC AG: FACC is an Austrian aerospace composites Tier-1/Tier-2 supplier producing aerostructures, engine components, and interior parts for Airbus, Boeing, and engine OEMs. It directly competes with Albany's AEC in composite aerostructures and engine components.
• Valmet: Valmet is a Finnish process technologies and paper machine clothing manufacturer, including consumable fabrics and belts for paper, board, and tissue machines. It directly competes with Albany Machine Clothing in PMC consumables and aftermarket service to global paper mills.
• Andritz (Paper Machine Clothing): Andritz is a global supplier of paper machine clothing, process belts, and pulp & paper technologies, with a Paper Machine Clothing business that directly competes with Albany Machine Clothing for paper mill consumables worldwide.

Broad incumbents

• GKN Aerospace: GKN Aerospace (Melrose Industries) is a major Tier-1 supplier of composite aerostructures, engine components, and transparencies across Boeing, Airbus, and Rolls-Royce platforms. It overlaps with Albany's AEC in engine and airframe composites but at a much larger, more diversified portfolio scale.
• Mitsubishi Chemical Carbon Fiber & Composites: Mitsubishi Chemical supplies PAN-based carbon fibers and intermediate composite materials used by engine and airframe manufacturers. It is a relevant upstream peer to Albany's 3D weaving operations, which consume carbon fiber tows as primary inputs.
• Spirit AeroSystems: Spirit AeroSystems designs and builds composite and metallic aerostructures (fuselages, wing structures, pylons) for Boeing and Airbus. It overlaps with Albany's fuselage frames and wing skins for the 787 and other programs but operates as a Tier-1 integrator rather than a specialty composites supplier.
• Senior plc: Senior plc is a UK-based manufacturer of engineered components for aerospace, defense, and industrial markets, including fluid conveyance and structural composites. It overlaps with Albany in precision aerospace components but with a broader, less composites-focused portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AICareers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/albany-international
• Xx.com/albint_corp

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A6 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Albany International