As with most aerospace companies, our Monrovia, California facility has a colorful history. It all started out in the late 1930's when a company named Day and Night Hot Water Heater was founded under the parent organization, Affiliated Gas. Initially, commercial hot water heaters were the principal product lines. The development of solar hot water systems was also undertaken during these early years. With World War II, came the introduction to military and aircraft products with the Aviation Department becoming involved in the manufacture of DC-3 fairings and rocket housings.

In 1955, the founding company was acquired by the Carrier Corporation and thereafter conducted business as Monrovia Aviation. During this period, ground support air conditioning equipment was manufactured for The Boeing Company. There were further inroads into militarized products with the fabrication of fuel pods for the Northrop F89 aircraft and interfacing equipment for rocket launching devices.

In 1960, the Whittaker Corporation acquired the organization, and operating as Advanced Structures, significant expansion into the development and fabrication of composite and metal bonded process technology ensued. Components were manufactured for the Douglas DC-8 aircraft and the McDonnell F4H fighter, in addition to a continuing contribution to Boeing and Northrop products. There was a further addition of new products with the manufacture of panels and rotor blades for Bell Helicopter. The fabrication of the Huey blades during the Vietnamese War, was a noteworthy accomplishment. During a 12 month period, Huey blades were produced at the rate of 36 blades per day. The Monrovia facility, along with the Peck Road facility, employed as many as 1100 working three shifts. In 1966, production of the Boeing 737 spoiler assemblies and Bell Helicopter 206 main and tail rotor blades were also undertaken.

In 1973, the TRE Corporation acquired the company, and in 1984 the name Composite Structures was adopted. During this period, a number of the programs which today constitute a significant segment of the core business were implemented. There was the development and production of the Apache AH-64 Main and Tail Rotor Blades with Hughes Aircraft, later to become McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company, and now Boeing. There was expanding support of Bell Helicopter programs with the Models 212, 222 and 412 being most prominent.

In 1986, the Aluminum Company of America acquired Composite Structures as an element of the total TRE Corporation acquisition. Current product lines, developed mainly as part of the Whittaker Corporation and the TRE Corporation are Bell Helicopter Rotor Blades and Fuselage Panels, Boeing 737 Flight and Ground Spoilers, Douglas Aircraft C-17 Cargo Doors and Spoilers, and McDonnell Douglas Helicopter AH-64 Rotor Blades.

In 1991, Composite Structures produced the last of the 206 main rotor blades for Bell Helicopter. Due to business conditions, Bell Helicopter elected to build the blades in their Ft. Worth facility.

In 1997, Alcoa decided to exit the composite business and sold the company to Quarterdeck, an investment group. During this ownership, the 737 Classic spoilers faded out of production and the 737 Next Generation spoiler entered production. The rate accelerated rapidly to 24 shipsets per month.

In 2001, Quarterdeck sold the company to Ducommun Inc. Composite Structures joined three other Ducommun companies; Aircraft Hydroform, Aerochem, and Parsons Machine to form Ducommun AeroStructures. We have maintained product lines for Apache main and tail rotors, C-17 spoilers, Rolls-Royce fan containment case, Bell panels and tail rotors.

In 2003, Composite Structures started the year with four new programs. The first program is a new all composite main rotor blade, 30' long. The blade is for the Sikorsky S-61 helicopter and our customer is Carson Helicopters, Inc. The second and third new programs are composite winglets for the Boeing Model 737 and Hawker 800 for which the customer is Aviation Partners Inc. and Aviation Partners Boeing. The fourth new program is structural components for the Lockheed F-22 fighter.

Additional clean room space was required for all this new composite work. To accommodate this, the old clean room/store room was rebuilt with a lower ceiling, new floor and paint job. This new work also required the latest technology equipment such as a new 60' ply cutter, laser ply positioning equipment, laser tracking, and new multi axis c-scan ultrasonic.

In early 2004, this facility became known as the Monrovia, California facility of Ducommun AeroStructures.