ATW Daily News

GKN launches A350 activities at Filton

Tuesday January 6, 2009

GKN Aerospace yesterday said it will assume ownership and operational control of Airbus's former UK-based wing component and assemblies manufacturing plant at Filton. The move follows European regulatory approval and is projected to double GKN's order book for large civil aircraft structures. The Filton site has 1,500 employees and brings GKN's global workforce to 10,000. "This is just the first day in our long-term plan to grow the Filton operation and the capabilities of our team here to create a global center of excellence for wing structures serving our international customer base," GKN CEO Marcus Bryson said.

In September, the aircraft maker agreed to sell the facility to GKN for £136 million ($243.9 million) under a deal that covers A350 XWB work packages for the carbon fiber composite wing fixed trailing edge, which GKN plans to manufacture locally (ATWOnline, Sept. 16, 2008). Airbus sold its Laupheim plant to Diehl and Thales the prior month. Transactions are an extension of the manufacturer's Power8 restructuring initiative to consolidate assets and operations in an effort to cut costs and increase efficiencies.

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