Airbus seals deal for Chinese aluminium
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Airbus and its parent company EADS have signed a contract with Southwest Aluminium (Group) Co Ltd (SWA), one of the largest aluminium product producers in China, for the manufacture and supply of aluminium plate.
Aluminium is a key material in the production of aircraft as it is used in many different parts of an aircraft such as fuselage panels and frames, floor beams, and wing spars/ribs. SWA’s aluminium products will initially supply both Airbus’ single-aisle and long-range families, and the contract could be extended to other programmes in the future.
A ceremony was held in Beijing on 9 March to celebrate the signing of the contract. The contract was signed by Klaus Richter, Airbus Executive Vice President Procurement, Eric Zanin, Airbus Senior Vice President and Head of Materials and Detail Parts Procurement, Li Fengyi, Chief Executive Officer of SWA, and Yinxiaohui, Chief Engineer of SWA on 16 February 2011. Antoine Gaugler Director EADS China Sourcing Office and Li Fengyi, Chief Executive Officer of SWA, were present at the ceremony on the 9th March.
“We are proud to become a certified supplier to EADS and Airbus. We are confident that we will deliver the products with high quality and at competitive prices” said Li Fengyi, CEO of SWA.
“The contract creates a win-win situation for all parties, as EADS and Airbus move a further step forward to sourcing new qualified suppliers in emerging regions while SWA becomes a supplier of the leading aircraft manufacturer,” said Antoine Gaugler. “In addition, Airbus will increase its efficiency as the aluminium needed by partners in China will be sourced directly from China instead of being shipped from western suppliers,” he added.
Several different Chinese manufacturers are involved in manufacturing parts for Airbus aircraft. All types of Airbus commercial aircraft (from the A320 Family to the A380) have components produced in China.
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