Daher wins Boeing thermoplastic composites contract
France-based Daher, which already makes parts for the Airbus A350 XWB, will produce for Boeing structural thermoplastic composites for the 787 Dreamliner.
Thermoplastics composites specialist Daher (Marseille, France) reported on Jan. 24 that it has been selected to provide thermoplastic composite structural parts for Boeing (Seattle, WA, US) 787 airplanes. This is Daher’s first-ever production contract with Boeing.
Deliveries and installation of these elementary structural parts will begin in 2018 under terms of Daher’s multi-year contract, replacing existing 787 airplane components currently manufactured using the more traditional thermoset composites.
“Daher is pleased to begin our Boeing relationship with thermoplastic composite technology, which holds significant promise in further driving down the aviation industry’s costs of manufacturing aerostructures,” says Nicolas Orance, Daher SVP Aerospace & Defense Business Unit.
“We are fully committed to meeting Boeing’s expectations on this initial work package, and are ready to explore other opportunities that will bring additional manufacturing cost reductions,” adds Armelle de Larminat, head of business development Americas area.
Daher’s manufacturing expertise further optimized the thermoplastic composite parts for Boeing as replacements for the 787’s existing components. Daher’s production facility at Nantes has received Boeing approval as a qualified supply source for thermoplastic composite parts.
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