The Lohia Aerospace Massivit partnership marks the first time large-format composite additive manufacturing has been brought to India.
Lohia Aerospace has announced a collaboration with Massivit 3D Printing Technologies Ltd. to bring large-format industrial composite additive manufacturing to India for the first time.
The collaboration follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two companies and marks a significant milestone for the industry by introducing automation and digital manufacturing into India’s composite production ecosystem, where manufacturing has traditionally relied heavily on manual tooling and production processes.
The partnership will combine Massivit’s additive manufacturing technology with Lohia Aerospace’s composite manufacturing and engineering capabilities.
According to the companies, the collaboration will enable partners and customers to benefit from shorter lead times, lower costs, improved quality, and faster production scale-up.
What the Lohia Aerospace Massivit Alliance Covers
Under the Joint Manufacturing Alliance, Massivit’s large-format 3D printing platform will be installed at Lohia Aerospace Systems‘ manufacturing facility in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The platform will be used to produce composite moulds and production tools for the aerospace and defence industries.
Lohia Aerospace will manage manufacturing, finishing, quality assurance and customer deliveries through facilities certified to ISO 9001, AS9100D and NADCAP standards. Under the agreement, the company also holds exclusive rights to offer the technology to India’s aerospace and defence sector, including programmes involving unmanned aerial vehicles and manned aircraft.
Cutting Tooling Lead Times by up to 90 Percent
According to the company, the technology can reduce tooling production time by as much as 90 percent, allowing moulds and production tools to be manufactured in days rather than weeks. Each printer is expected to produce one to two complete tool sets per day, and the company plans to bring eight to ten printers online.
For an industry where a single delayed tool can hold up an entire build programme, compressing that step from weeks to days changes how quickly a manufacturer can respond to design revisions and new orders.
Investment and the Kanpur Expansion
Lohia Aerospace plans to invest USD 8 million to 10 million over the next one to two years to develop the capability. The investment supports an ongoing expansion at Kanpur that adds a 250,000 sq ft manufacturing facility alongside the company’s existing 80,000 sq ft plant.
Skilled Jobs and Capability Building
The company expects the initiative to create between 60 and 100 skilled jobs, with each printer requiring a dedicated team covering operations, quality control and finishing. That staffing model reflects a broader point about additive manufacturing in India: the technology reduces manual tooling labour but raises demand for process engineers and quality specialists.
Why Import Substitution Matters Here
Large-format additive tooling is not yet established in India, and the limited volume used today is imported. Both companies have framed the alliance as a route to replacing that imported tooling with domestic production over time, in line with the Make in India programme.
Anurag Lohia, Chairman and Managing Director of Lohia Aerospace Systems, said the alliance would strengthen India’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities by reducing dependence on imported tooling while enabling faster production for domestic and international customers. Avik Bhattacharya, President – Sales and Marketing at Lohia Aerospace, said the partnership would let the company offer customers faster and more cost-effective manufacturing.
Ziki Kuly, Chief Business Officer at Massivit, said the partnership would help scale local production of mission-critical aerospace components and tooling for India’s growing defence and aerospace market.