Citation
(2007), "$6m deal to supply components for Messier-Dowty landing gear", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 79 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2007.12779dab.030
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
$6m deal to supply components for Messier-Dowty landing gear
$6m deal to supply components for Messier-Dowty landing gear
Mettis Aerospace has negotiated a new $6 million contract to supply Messier- Dowty with landing gear components for the Airbus A320 family of aircraft.
The midlands-based company has enjoyed a long working relationship with Messier-Dowty and the companies expect to sign a new service agreement covering components for other aircraft models in the near future.
Messier-Dowty, a SAFRAN Group company, celebrated its 3,000th delivery of A320 family landing gear to the Airbus final assembly line in Toulouse in November last year.
The delivery marked an important milestone for Messier-Dowty, whose participation in the phenomenally successful A320 program dates back to the early 1980s.
The A320 family landing gear is Messier-Dowty's largest production programme, with manufacturing activities split between the company's Bidos (France), Gloucester (UK), Montreal (Canada) and Suzhou (China) facilities.
Messier-Dowty is responsible for the design, manufacture and support of both the main and nose landing gears for the A320 family. Mettis will be manufacturing critical parts used within landing gear assemblies.
The high volume production in recent years has led to the employment of innovative procurement and manufacturing processes, such as the use of articulating assembly rigs, “superkits” of purchased parts and through the implementation of Lean initiatives, reducing assembly, manufacturing lead times and waste.