Aviation giants reassess supply chain management
30/11/2010
The world’s biggest aircraft manufacturers have said that effective supply chain management can now be the making or breaking of some of their most high profile projects.
Both Boeing and Airbus have said that supplier consolidation and management is now key to cutting production and research costs on projects such as that Airbus A380 and Boeing’s highly anticipated Dreamliner aircraft.
Speaking at the Farnborough Air Show in July, Louis Gallois, CEO of Airbus’s parent company, EADS, said, “With the supply chain, price is certainly important, but it's not just about cutting costs. It’s about quality, responsiveness and reliability. We want to establish a relation of partnership with our suppliers.”
A smooth and efficient relationship between the manufacturers and suppliers is likely to develop even greater importance in the near future, as both aviation giants anticipate significantly ramping up their production capacity for their most popular jets – Boeing’s 737 and the Airbus A320.
Airbus is reportedly in discussions with suppliers on the viability of being able to create 44 of the A320 single-aisle planes every month by 2014 or 2015 – rising from the current figure of 36 - while Boeing is looking at how it can make 42 737s every month.
Both Boeing and Airbus have said that supplier consolidation and management is now key to cutting production and research costs on projects such as that Airbus A380 and Boeing’s highly anticipated Dreamliner aircraft.
Speaking at the Farnborough Air Show in July, Louis Gallois, CEO of Airbus’s parent company, EADS, said, “With the supply chain, price is certainly important, but it's not just about cutting costs. It’s about quality, responsiveness and reliability. We want to establish a relation of partnership with our suppliers.”
A smooth and efficient relationship between the manufacturers and suppliers is likely to develop even greater importance in the near future, as both aviation giants anticipate significantly ramping up their production capacity for their most popular jets – Boeing’s 737 and the Airbus A320.
Airbus is reportedly in discussions with suppliers on the viability of being able to create 44 of the A320 single-aisle planes every month by 2014 or 2015 – rising from the current figure of 36 - while Boeing is looking at how it can make 42 737s every month.
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