GKN Aerospace secures major Boeing supply deal

WORCESTERSHIRE engineering group, GKN, has secured a major supply order for its aerospace division.

Boeing has awarded GKN Aerospace a long term contract to supply components and subassemblies for its 737 MAX, 777X and 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

GKN Aerospace will supply inlet lip skins for the Boeing 737 MAX and 777X and will assemble the 787 Dreamliner Section 47 floor grid.

In conjunction with the Boeing award, GKN has acquired Sheets Manufacturing Inc, a small privately held metallic spin forming company located in Camarillo, California.  It is a technology leader in the manufacture of aircraft engine inlet lip skins with legacy supply deals in place for the Boeing 747-8 and KC-46 tanker.

GKN will engineer and manufacture the engine inlet aluminium lip skins for Boeing using proprietary processes developed by SMI and enhanced by GKN’s automated techniques. The lip skins will be produced at both the current site in Camarillo and a new purpose-built manufacturing facility in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

GKN will assemble the Boeing 787 Section 47 floor grid at its assembly facility, also located in Orangeburg. The contract encompasses the floor grid for all three models of the 787 family: the 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10.

Kevin Cummings, Chief Executive Officer, GKN Aerospace said: “GKN is proud to have been selected to supply the 737 MAX and 777X inlet lip skins and 787 Section 47 floor grids.  This contract award is a clear reflection of our strong commitment to the application of industry leading technologies in partnership with Boeing Commercial Airplanes.”