WinnCad Elements Blog: Airbus Composite Manufacturing Centre partners with Chinese

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Airbus Composite Manufacturing Centre partners with Chinese

Harbin Hafei Airbus Composite Manufacturing Centre Opens New Facilities

The Harbin Hafei Airbus Composite Manufacturing Centre, a joint venture between Airbus and its Chinese partners, has been inaugurated in Harbin, China by Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO, Chinese government officials and partners.

The new facilities will mainly be used to manufacture composite parts for the A350 XWB, Airbus' latest aircraft programme.

The 33,800-square-metres state-of-the-art facilities opened today are the first of what will be an 80,000-square-metres manufacturing compound, comprising production, technical support, office areas and other services.

Li Fangyong, Vice President of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), said: "The inauguration of the Manufacturing Centre demonstrates we are well prepared for the production of the A350 XWB components. It's our honour and pleasure to be involved in the production of the world's most advanced aircraft, the A350 XWB, and to become an integrated part of the global supply chain of Airbus, the world's leading aircraft manufacturer."

Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO, said: "The Chinese have every reason to be proud they are contributing to the A350 XWB. The aircraft will set new standards in terms of eco-efficiency and passenger appeal. The Manufacturing Centre in Harbin and other Chinese partners will play an important role in its success."

The Harbin Manufacturing Centre will produce A350 XWB components (53% of the aircraft's structure will be made of composite materials) including rudders, elevators, Section 19 maintenance doors and belly fairing parts all in all a significant part of the five percent A350 XWB airframe work packages share to be carried out in China. The Manufacturing Centre uses some of the world's most advanced equipment and technology, including automated-tape-laying, autoclave, automated trimming, and non-destructive test equipments.

The construction started in June 2009 and, by 2016, around 600 employees are expected to be working at the Harbin Manufacturing Centre.

Harbin Hafei Airbus Composite Manufacturing Centre is a joint venture between Airbus China and a group of Chinese partners comprising Harbin Aircraft Industry Group Corporation Limited, Hafei Aviation Industry Company Limited, AviChina Industry & Technology Company Limited and Harbin Development Zone Infrastructure Development Company Limited. It started production of A320 elevators, rudders and Horizontal Tail Plane (HTP) spars in December 2009. Chinese companies contribute five per cent of the A350 XWB airframe work packages.