The joint venture will manufacture products for the Asian aerospace market, a key growth area for the future, officials say, while opening new business opportunities for GKN Aerospace’s aerostructures business and partners. As a result of the joint venture, GKN Aerospace and its partners will offer customers both metallic and composite technologically advanced aerostructures. After the start-up period, the scope of the joint venture will be extended to include design and development capability.
Read more in SAE International's Advanced Manufacturing Knowledge Hub

The expansion to Asia is an important part of GKN Aerospace’s long-term growth strategy and global operating model. With this Chinese joint venture, GKN Aerospace’s business will have its first aerostructures venture in the Asian-Pacific region. GKN Aerospace announced a new wiring systems plant in Pune, India, this summer and GKN Aerospace opened a new aero-engine repair and research plant in Johor Malaysia in October. GKN Aerospace now operates seven facilities in Asia, delivering wiring systems, transparencies, and services in China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Turkey.
“This will be the first aerostructures venture for GKN Aerospace in China. It strengthens our enduring partnership and commitment with this country,” says John Pritchard, CEO Aerostructures and Systems Europe and Asia. “We need to be close to our customers and partners and support the solid growth of the aerospace industry in China.”

GKN Aerospace is a multi-technology tier 1 aerospace supplier, serving the world’s aircraft manufacturers. GKN Aerospace develops, builds, and supplies an extensive range of advanced aerospace systems, components and technologies – for use in aircraft ranging from helicopters and business jets to the most used single-aisle aircraft and the largest passenger planes in the world.
Lightweight composites, additive manufacturing, innovative engine systems, and smart transparencies help to reduce emissions and weight on the aircraft and enhance passenger comfort. GKN Aerospace provides aerostructures, engine systems, transparencies, and wiring systems and operates in 14 countries at 51 manufacturing locations employing approximately 17,000 people.

Learn more
-
Bookmark http://www.sae.org/news to keep pace with the latest aerospace technology news & information.
-
Learn about AeroPaks to access 8,000+ SAE aerospace standards, specifications, recommended practices, and resource documents available in SAE MOBILUS.
-
Subscribe to SAE MOBILUS for access to more than 200,000 resources, including aerospace standards, technical papers, eBooks, magazines, and video.
Working on aerospace systems and platforms? Wrestling with challenges? Have aerospace wisdom to share for the greater good of the industry? You're invited to get involved with SAE International -- contact courtney.howard@sae.org to contribute and add your voice to the growing body of knowledge.
Courtney E. Howard is editorial director and content strategist at SAE International, Aerospace Products Group. Contact her by e-mail at courtney.howard@sae.org.
Continue reading »