Boeing announces UK suppliers to new Sheffield factory

The company's first European factory will produce 7,000 actuation system components each month, which will be shipped for assembly in its Portland, Oregon plant in the United States.

“In Sheffield we have an excellent local supply chain and Boeing is sourcing from these established companies because of their high-quality manufacturing capability and talented people,” said Sir Michael Arthur, president, Boeing Europe and managing director, Boeing UK and Ireland. “I’m delighted to bring Maher, MetLase and Nikken on board as new Boeing suppliers, and to extend our supplier relationship with Aeromet and Mettis. We look forward to working together.”

The suppliers are:

Aeromet International: A Worcester-based supplier of advanced aluminium and magnesium cast parts with three sites across the UK. Aeromet will supply the Sheffield factory with high-strength, complex and multi-core aluminium cast parts.

Maher: An established Sheffield material distributor of high performing alloys and machinist of finished components, specialising in nickel, titanium and copper-based alloys. With material and engineering expertise, Maher has been a Tier 2 member of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing since inception. Maher, a first time supplier to Boeing, will supply bespoke steel bar and pre-machined components, made of UK-sourced steel from Liberty Speciality Steels, from its facility located three miles from the new facility.

MetLase: A joint-venture between Rolls-Royce and Unipart that uses patented methodologies to design and produce simple and complex tooling, fixturing and components, utilising precise laser cutting and press brake forming. MetLase, a first time supplier to Boeing, is based at the Advanced Manufacturing Park Technology Centre in Rotherham and is the tooling and fixturing partner for the new factory.

Mettis Aerospace: A designer and manufacturer of precision forged and machined components from Redditch that has supplied the global aerospace and defence industry for more than 70 years. Mettis will supply steel alloy precision-forged components.

An agreement has already announced with Nikken Kosakusho Europe in Rotherham to provide high precision toolholders, cutting tools and tool presetting solutions to the Sheffield factory as part of a long-term technical partnership. Nikken will work closely with Boeing’s engineering team to support the optimisation of manufacturing processes to achieve production goals.

www.boeing.com