Strata's UAE aerospace plant gives big lift to Airbus

Bubblegum Crisis · Mar 4, 2013

Etihad Airways Airbus A330

Strata's UAE aerospace plant gives big lift to Airbus

David Black
Feb 3, 2013

The first four fully assembled Airbus A330 ailerons to be put together by Strata Manufacturing in Al Ain has been delivered to Airbus's factory in Bremen, Germany.

For the first time, the UAE's leading aerospace manufacturer will have supplied a major component for an airliner to be flown by Etihad.

Ailerons are moveable control surfaces on the wing's trailing edge used to turn or adjust the aircraft's altitude. Each 85-kilogram aileron is made up of more than 400 parts and is five metres in length. An A330 is fitted with two - one inboard and one outboard - on each wing.

This delivery also marks a historic turning point in Strata's relationship with Airbus, elevating the company to a tier-one, or direct supplier, to Airbus for A330 assembled ailerons.

"This is just the beginning," said Badr Al Olama, the chief executive of Strata. "As we build on our relationship with Airbus, and with Boeing, one day it is our ambition to be the supplier of at least one major component in every jet airliner in the sky.

"Yes, this is a historic first in UAE history, that a part made by people in the UAE is going onto an airliner flown by a UAE airline. But our ambition does not stop there. One day, when a jet airliner flies over, any jet airliner, I want everyone in our workforce to be able to look up and say, 'I helped build that'."

Strata, wholly owned by Mubadala, the Abu Dhabi-based investment and development company, is already a single-source supplier of top and bottom panels for the Airbus A330 ailerons and for flap-track fairings on the A330 and A380. The company is talking to Airbus about working on the A350, Airbus's next-generation carbon-composite airliner programme and has engaged with Boeing to begin supplying ribs for the Boeing 777 and 787, and eventually the entire vertical fin on the 787.

In December, Strata delivered its first vertical fin section for the ATR turboprop commuter airliner to Alenia Aermacchi under a deal that had the Italian aerospace company pledging to expand its order book with the Al Ain factory.

Under the A330 aileron contract, Strata expects to have delivered 30 sets by the end of the year, and be capable of delivering 60 a year by the end of 2014 - equivalent to half of all the ailerons Airbus requires to fulfil a production rate of 10 A330s a month.

"Our commitment and our growing partnership with Airbus is an accomplishment for Strata and Abu Dhabi," added Mr Al Olama. "Strata's dedication to continuous improvement has been reaffirmed by our ability to manufacture complex and technologically advanced primary parts, and this further enhances our credibility in the industry, positioning us as a key contender on the next generation of aircraft.

"Although all the main contracts have already been awarded on the Airbus A350, we are in talks with Airbus on dual-sourcing some of the components. Airbus are looking to deliver 12 to 15 A350s a month, and as they start ramping up the production schedule, we can step in to take the strain off existing contractors.

"It will be a win-win-win situation; a win for Airbus because parts will be delivered on time; a win for the existing contractor because he will not have to up his investment to meet the increased demand, and a win for Strata as we win more work and gain more experience in this highly technical and competitive field."

James Hogan, the Etihad Airways president and chief executive, said he was "tremendously proud" that one of Etihad's airliners would now operate with major components manufactured within the UAE.

"We are delighted to see key parts for our aircraft now being manufactured in the UAE," he said.

"The UAE and the emirate of Abu Dhabi, in particular, are fast becoming an aviation manufacturing and maintenance centre of excellence, and as the national carrier, in the years ahead, we look forward to further demonstrating and promoting UAE technological and engineering achievements on our fleet and across our network.

"Aviation is a global business, and it brings together the very best each country has to offer," said Volker Thum, the head of the Airbus plant in Bremen.

"For the development and production of the world's leading aircraft, we require strong and capable partners, like Strata, who can deliver on this global scale. We anticipate that parts manufactured in the UAE will be set features on Airbus aircraft."

The total value of Strata's investment in the aerospace complex is about Dh900 million (US$245m) and the value of company's contracts to date is about Dh7 billion.

Last year, Strata sent two groups of technicians to the Airbus facility in Nantes, France for a five-month intensive training programme. One group recently returned to Al Ain to implement the skills they acquired. Strata has 533 employees of 30 nationalities, with more than 120 Emiratis working on the production floor.

Since launching in 2010 the company has raised its Emiratisation ratio from 1 per cent to 30 per cent at the end last year. Next year it intends to raise it to 40 per cent.

More than a quarter of Strata employees are women, with Emirati women making up about 80 per cent of UAE nationals on the workforce.

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Strata Manufacturing delivers its first composite ailerons for Airbus A330

The Al Ain, Abu Dhabi-based aerospace supplier says the four fully assembled structures will be installed on an A330 aircraft bound for Etihad Airways in May.

Author: Staff
Posted on: 2/4/2013

Senior representatives from Strata Manufacturing PJSC (Strata), an Al Ain, Abu Dhabi-based aerostructures facility, celebrated in late January the delivery of its first four fully assembled Airbus A330 ailerons, during a ceremony at the Airbus facility in Bremen, Germany.

This delivery marks a significant turning point in Strata’s relationship with Airbus SAS (Toulouse, France), reportedly elevating the company to status as a "tier-one" direct supplier to Airbus for A330 assembled ailerons. It is also an important step for Strata towards becoming a competitive and reliable supplier to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for primary structures of increasing complexity.

Designed to control roll and facilitate turning, the new critical wing structures will be mounted onto an A330 aircraft scheduled for delivery to Etihad Airways, in May.

Commenting on this historical milestone, Badr Al Olama, CEO of Strata, said, “Our commitment and our growing partnership with Airbus is an accomplishment for Strata and Abu Dhabi. Strata’s dedication to continuous improvement has been reaffirmed by our ability to manufacture complex and technologically advanced primary parts, and this further enhances our credibility in the industry, positioning us as a key contender on the next generation of aircraft. Our first package of Airbus ailerons being installed onto a new Etihad Airways aircraft makes this a particularly proud moment both for Strata and our nation, showcasing the U.A.E.’s growing role in the global aerospace industry.”

As Etihad Airways prepares to celebrate its 10th anniversary, the installation of the ailerons marks another first for the airline, whereby one of its aircraft will now operate with primary components manufactured within the U.A.E.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways president and CEO, said, “Today is a tremendously proud occasion, and we are delighted to see key parts for our aircraft now being manufactured in the U.A.E. The U.A.E., and the emirate of Abu Dhabi in particular, are fast becoming an aviation manufacturing and maintenance center of excellence, and as the national carrier, in the years ahead, we look forward to further demonstrating and promoting U.A.E. technological and engineering achievements on our fleet and across our network.”

In 2010, just months after completion of its facility, Strata began supplying Airbus with aileron panels and flap-track fairings and has been steadily building its capabilities to deliver more technically complex packages to its partners.

Volker Thum, head of the Airbus plant in Bremen, said: “Aviation is a global business, and it brings together the very best each country has to offer. For the development and production of the world's leading aircraft, we require strong and capable partners, like Strata, who can deliver on this global scale. We anticipate that parts manufactured in the U.A.E. will be set features on Airbus aircraft. I am very proud to celebrate this occasion with our partners at Strata today."

All A330 aircraft require four ailerons; an inboard and outboard aileron mounted onto each wing. Each aileron measures 5m/16.4 ft in length, weighs approximately 85 kg/187.4 lb and is manufactured and assembled by specialized technicians using more than 400 parts.

Last year, Strata sent a group of 16 technicians to Nantes, France for a five-month intensive training program. a second group of technicians has recently returned from Nantes to implement the skills they acquired throughout their training. The aileron panels are already being manufactured at Strata by a skilled team of technicians, including Emirati women from Strata’s successful apprenticeship programs.

With this delivery, Strata is now a ‘tier-one’ supplier of the A330 assembled ailerons to Airbus, and in December 2012, Strata also delivered its first ATR Vertical Fin to the Italian aerospace company, Alenia Aermacchi (Rome, Italy). This progression puts Strata in a favorable position to achieve its ambition of designing and manufacturing entire wing and empennage structures in the future.

Strata Manufacturing PJSC (Strata) was established in 2009, and began production in 2010. Strata has partnerships with some of the world’s leading aerospace original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) .

Strata is currently a supplier for the Airbus A330/340 and A380 programs. Strata is working on supplying Airbus on the A350 XWB program, as well as The Boeing Co. (Chicago, Ill.) on the 777 and 787 programs. In addition, Strata supplies Alenia on the ATR Program. Strata is wholly owned by Mubadala, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and development company, and is part of Mubadala Aerospace.

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Strata's UAE aerospace plant gives big lift to Airbus

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