Aleris, Cleveland, Ohio, announces that it has signed a new multi-year contract with Airbus to supply aluminum plate and sheet, as well as technically advanced wing skin material, for all Airbus aircraft programs. The agreement further strengthens a long-standing partnership with Airbus, demonstrating how Aleris continues to meet the high expectations required of a strategic supplier to the aerospace industry.
The agreement includes aluminum plate and sheet for applications such as aircraft fuselage and wing structures, and also now includes the supply of wing skins – a highly specialized product that requires additional processing and pre-machining. The contract includes the supply of material from the company’s facility in Germany, and also from the $350 million greenfield facility in China, which was qualified by Airbus for the production of aerospace material in 2015.
“This vote of confidence from Airbus validates our strategy to expand our global rolled products footprint and invest in technology, as we are now able to extend our range of aerospace products and better serve Airbus,” says Sean Stack, President & CEO of Aleris. “With world class facilities strategically positioned in Germany and China, we are in a strong position to support the significant growth projected in the aerospace industry, particularly in the Asia Pacific region.”
According to a forecast completed by Flight Ascend Consultancy, part of FlightGlobal, the world’s fleet of commercial aircraft is expected to increase by 81% to 49,940 aircraft in 2035, by which time 41% of the fleet is expected to be operating in Asia Pacific and China. Continued higher-than-average passenger traffic growth rates in this region will remain the key drivers for the industry’s growth and new aircraft demand in the next 20 years.
