Message posted on
25 August 2026 by HIVE
On August 25, 2026, Rick van Opdorp, Director/Owner of ACRATS Training Services, signed a lease agreement with Business Park Aviolanda B.V. for new business premises of approximately 1,500 m² at the business park of the same name. At the new location, ACRATS will continue to provide its services: high-quality training and technology development for the repair of aircraft sheet metal and composites.
In addition, the HIVE Structure Center of Excellence will be located here. This will be a facility where civilian and military parties can collaborate on education, training, qualification, and certification. It will also provide space for innovation and the shared use of specialized facilities in the field of structural repair and maintenance. Related fields such as nondestructive testing, adhesive and bonding techniques, surface treatment, and painting also fall within this scope.
With Structure Center of Excellence, Van Opdorp expressly does not intend to take over the role of other training providers, innovative companies, or research institutions. Rather, the goal is to facilitate collaboration among these parties. ACRATS provides a physical location and various facilities, such as workshops, a cleanroom, office and classroom spaces, specialized machinery and tooling, and an innovation lab. The training company also provides the necessary operational support.
In this way, ACRATS aims to further strengthen collaboration; both among organizations within the civil-military MRO ecosystem in Woensdrecht and with external knowledge, R&D, and training partners. ACRATS will be the founder and operator of the new center and receive support from the HIVE Innovation and Human Capital Agendas.
The initiative aligns well with the vision for the future of Hive Aerospace Collective. Ivo van der Vlis, Managing Director of Aviolanda, says:
“The continuity of civil and military aerospace depends in part on future-proof aircraft and helicopter maintenance. The growing shortage of technical personnel, rapid technological developments, and changing geopolitical conditions call for scaling up and accelerating both talent development and innovation. That is why we want to turn HIVE into a fully-fledged MRO facility campus; a place where high-quality training programs and the development, testing, validation, and certification of new maintenance applications come together. The launch of a Structure Center of Excellence aligns perfectly with this vision.”
Rick van Opdorp of ACRATS adds:
“Here in Woensdrecht, we have all the building blocks for such a facility campus in one place. We have the knowledge and expertise, various educational institutions, the practical environment of MRO companies and the Air Force, and strong ties with knowledge centers. In addition, civil-military cooperation offers ample opportunities for joint training and dual-use innovation. The HIVE Structure Center of Excellence is the physical building block that was still missing. Here, we’re bringing these activities together under one roof.”
Currently, in close collaboration with Business Park Aviolanda, the interior design and finishing work of the new commercial space is underway. Afterward, ACRATS will move from it current premises in the “Spirit” building to its new location in one of the former Fokker Elmo buildings. Companies suchs as SPECTO, Top Aces, Patria and NLR are also located here.
The official opening and launch of the HIVE Structure Center of Excellence are scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026.
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