GRADEL

GRADEL is a Luxembourg engineering company founded in 1965, which began as a pioneer in nuclear maintenance equipment when Europe was commissioning its first commercial reactors. It became known for underwater filtration systems and custom machinery for power plants in operation and in decommissioning. Its website now lists nuclear, aerospace, defence and lightweight composite activities, and describes more than 60 years of experience in demanding environments.

Space and aerospace

Since Luxembourg joined the European Space Agency in 2005, GRADEL has supplied ground support equipment to satellite manufacturers. Its mechanical ground support equipment is used for safely moving and handling spacecraft before launch, including specially designed transport trolleys and rotation systems for large spacecraft with delicate instruments and wide solar arrays. The company also makes lifting devices for spacecraft, launch vehicle components and flight hardware, multi-purpose handling systems, integration tools and transport containers, and antenna supports for anechoic chambers and compact antenna test ranges. News on its site includes the shipping of a new container for Airbus and the delivery of its fourth equipment to Safran in India.

GRAM composite technology

In 2019 GRADEL began developing GRAM, short for Gradel Robotic Additive Manufacturing, a patented endless-filament winding technology. It grew from a joint research programme with the Luxembourg Space Agency, supervised by ESA, in collaboration with the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology. The company says GRAM makes ultra-light, 3D-shaped structures with minimal waste, with weight reductions of up to 70 percent and material consumption cut by up to 80 percent, using almost any fibre and resin. The first dedicated manufacturing site opened in Bascharage in 2023, next to the institute. GRADEL plans to commercialise GRAM equipment with aerospace and defence suppliers, universities and research centres, and to supply full production cells, software and engineering. With RAFINEX it is developing GRAM-AI software, and the two have also developed an ultra-light autonomous drone that navigates with an onboard optical sensor and no GPS. GRADEL plans to make the drones' composite structures with GRAM from 2026.

Other activities

In 1981 it supplied welded and machined parts for the Guardian glass factory in Luxembourg, and through its subsidiary Gradel ST it produces sputtering targets by continuous casting, recycling 99.5 percent of the alloys. The company reports being involved in European research programmes with projects worth 12 million euro over three years.

Events

GRADEL is listed as an exhibitor at Space Tech Expo Europe 2026, DSEI UK 2027 and Paris Air Show 2027.

Contact

GRADEL is listed under Aviation Consulting, Manufacturers and is based in Luxembourg.
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