Airbus’ Newest Joint Venture In China Said To Be Progressing Well On A350 Work Packages

Harbin Hafei Airbus Composite Manufacturing Center (HMC), a joint venture between Airbus and its Chinese partners, has started to deliver elevators for the Airbus A350 XWB program. A ceremony was held Monday in Harbin for the delivery of the first ship set of elevators. The elevators manufactured at HMC are delivered to Spain-based Aernnova Aerospace (ANN), who will deliver them to the Airbus plant in Getafe, Spain, where they will be integrated into the A350 XWB horizontal tail plane. ANN is a major supplier of aerostructures to Airbus.

Under a contract signed by HMC and ANN in 2010, HMC is responsible for manufacturing and assembling the complete set of carbon fiber elevators. During the initial phase the A350 elevators were solely produced at ANN. Production in China started in 2012. After a period of transition, during which the elevators are produced at both ANN and HMC, the Harbin Manufacturing Center will become the sole supplier of A350 XWB elevators.
 
According to an agreement signed in 2007 between Airbus and the Chinese government, Airbus agreed to allocate five percent of the A350 XWB airframe to be manufactured in China. The work packages to be carried out by HMC are a significant part of the five per cent.
 
“The delivery of the first ship set of A350 XWB elevators by HMC is an important milestone in our long-term partnership with the Chinese aviation industry," said Rafael González-Ripoll, Airbus China Chief Operating Officer. "The A350 XWB has taken to the sky and the program is progressing on track. The Chinese have every reason to be proud of the contribution they are making to the A350 XWB.”

“It’s inspiring for the Chinese aviation industry to be involved in the development and production of the A350 XWB, which is the world’s most advanced and most efficient aircraft, and to become an integrated part of Airbus’ global supply chain," said eng Ruguang, Executive Vice President of AVIC, the parent company of the majority shareholding Chinese partners of the HMC. "The delivery of the first A350 XWB elevator demonstrates one more step forward of HMC towards its set target. The development of HMC will also constitute a pulling force for the relevant local industries.”

“We at Aernnova are really satisfied with the very effective teamwork model developed together with the Harbin Manufacturing Center to industrialize and progressively transfer the A350 XWB Elevators," said Pedro Fuente, Chief Operating Officer of ANN. "We are impressed by the fast growing capabilities we are seeing every day. Clearly these are great pillars for a long term collaboration and mutual success."

Among the participants at the ceremony were Chinese government officials, European Government representatives, executives of Airbus and its Chinese partners including AVIC, an aviation industry group of China, representatives of ANN and other industry professionals.
 
The Harbin Hafei Manufacturing Center, set up in 2009, is already producing work packages related to the Airbus Single Aisle program (elevators, rudders and HTP spars) and starts today to deliver the first major part to the A350 XWB program. In order to fulfill these work packages, especially those for the A350 XWB program, including elevators, rudders, Section 19 maintenance doors and belly fairing parts, HMC began to build new facilities in 2009. The state-of-the-art new facilities were inaugurated in early 2011.

(A350 images from file)

FMI: www.airbus.com