Founded in 1948, Hexcel designs and manufactures a range of high-performance composite fibers, fabrics, resins, and structures for use in commercial aerospace, defense, and other industrial markets. These are engineered to be lighter than metal and perform under rigorous conditions in aircraft frames, wings, engines, and other components and subassemblies. The company's name derives from the six-sided honeycomb structures that lend many of its products their light weight and rigidity. Hexcel's biggest customers are Airbus (38% of 2022 sales) and Boeing (25% of prepandemic sales) and its respective subcontractors.