Manufacture of oxide ceramic matrix composites (CMC) using the slurry infusion technologies VASI® and IFOX®
FOX Composites GmbH
Cologne (Linder Höhe)New on Amplifa
About FOX Composites
FOX Composites GmbH is a spin-off of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and was founded in March 2026 from the DLR Institute of Frontier Materials. The company manufactures oxide ceramic matrix composites (Ceramic Matrix Composites, CMC) designed for high-temperature and lightweight construction applications where polymer composites and metals reach their limits. The core of the value creation is the proprietary slurry infusion technologies VASI® and IFOX®, which enable reproducible and automatable manufacturing of CMC components and thereby lay the foundation for large-scale industrial use of this class of materials. The spin-off was initiated in 2023 by DLR scientists Michael Welter and Vito Leisner, supported by the Helmholtz Enterprise spin-off program and further developed from 2024 onwards through DLR technology transfer funding. Customer industries include aviation, aerospace, defense, energy, the chemical industry and e-mobility. The company is based in Cologne on the DLR site at Linder Höhe.
- Site
- Köln
- Processes
- Manufacture of oxide ceramic matrix composites (CMC), Slurry infusion (VASI®), Slurry infusion (IFOX®), Slurry infusion technologies (VASI®, IFOX®)
- Materials
- Oxide ceramic matrix composites (CMC), Slurry infusion VASI®, Slurry infusion IFOX®
- Certificates
- ISO 9001
- Founded
- 2026
- Industries
- Aviation, Aerospace, Defense, Energy, Chemical industry, E-mobility
- 01
Slurry production
- 02
Slurry infusion (VASI®/IFOX®)
- 03
Consolidation and densification of CMC components
Materials & Processes
Oxide ceramic matrix composites (CMC)
Fiber-reinforced oxide ceramics for lightweight-relevant high-temperature applications in aviation and aerospace, energy and chemistry.
Slurry infusion VASI®
Proprietary infusion process for reproducible manufacturing of oxide CMC components.
Slurry infusion IFOX®
Process variant of slurry infusion for automatable, scalable CMC manufacturing.
Sites
Cologne
DEHeadquarters (c/o DLR, Bldg. 26, Linder Höhe)
- Materials
- Oxide CMC
Components & Applications
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacture of oxide ceramic matrix composites (CMC)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Oxide ceramic matrix composites (CMC) |
| Slurry infusion (VASI®)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Oxide ceramic matrix composites (CMC) |
| Slurry infusion (IFOX®)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Oxide ceramic matrix composites (CMC) |
Additional services
Quality
No information on certifications and testing equipment is currently available; the technology readiness level is being systematically increased within the framework of DLR technology transfer funding (2024–2026).
| Evidence | Cologne |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 2023
Initiated by DLR scientists Michael Welter and Vito Leisner; funded by the Helmholtz Enterprise spin-off program until January 2025.
- 2024
DLR technology transfer funding (2024–2026) to increase the technology readiness level.
- 2026
Foundation of FOX Composites GmbH as a spin-off of the DLR Institute of Frontier Materials (March 2026).