Premium AEROTEC

{{Short description|German aerospace manufacturing company}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}

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| name = Premium AEROTEC GmbH

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| type = GmbH

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| industry = Aerospace
Defence

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| revenue = €1.5 billion in 2012{{cite web |url=http://www.premium-aerotec.com/en/Premium_AEROTEC_extends_restructuring_of_the_company.html |access-date=28 May 2013 |title=Premium AEROTEC extends restructuring of the company |publisher=Premium AEROTEC}}

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| owner = Airbus

| num_employees = Over 6000{{cite web |url=http://www.eads.com/eads/germany/de/news/press.92379b7c-3a14-49ed-b142-56cd7b3b656e.45f3b041-264c-488a-973b-645f729cbad6.html |access-date=26 March 2011 |title=Premium AEROTEC commences aircraft component production in Romania |publisher=EADS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305080449/http://www.airbusgroup.com/int/en.html |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}

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Image:Airbus Nordenham.jpg]]

File:2012-05-13 Nordsee-Luftbilder DSCF8538.jpg

Premium AEROTEC is a German aerospace manufacturing business, headquartered in Augsburg in Germany. It is a subsidiary of Airbus.

The company was created in September 2008 as a spin off from the multinational aerospace group EADS, which subsequently rebranded itself as Airbus Group. While a large portion of Premium AEROTEC's business has been derived from its parent company, it has also forged partnerships with other manufacturing groups, including Dassault Aviation, Vought and Latécoère. The company has positioned itself as a Tier One supplier of aerostructures, which it produces at its facilities in Germany and Romania.

History

Prior to its establishment as an individual entity, the assets of Premium AEROTEC principally existed within the multinational aerospace group EADS.{{cite web |url=http://www.compositesworld.com/news/premium-aerotec-picks-fibersim-for-aerospace-design-work |access-date=26 March 2011 |title=Premium AEROTEC picks FiberSIM for aerospace design work |publisher=Composites World}} Its independence came as a consequence of several economic factors affecting the business; during 2007, EADS' management decided to respond to events, such a weakening US dollar and the high investment needed by both the Airbus A380 and A350 XWB airliners, by launching a restructuring initiative intended to streamline the group, divest several non-core activities, and cut costs.{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/ila-premium-aerotec-gears-up-to-meet-the-demands-of-parent-airbus/113124.article |title=ILA: Premium Aerotec gears up to meet the demands of parent Airbus |publisher=Flight International |first=Murdo |last=Morrison |date=19 May 2014}}{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/opinion/comment-airbuss-blessing-in-disguise/84580.article |title=Comment: Airbus's blessing in disguise |publisher=Flight International |date=13 January 2009}} Accordingly, in September 2008, three factories were spun off from EADS to form Premium AEROTEC; from the onset, it operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, which has since been rebranded as Airbus Group.{{cite web |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-35564311_ITM |access-date=26 March 2011 |title=Article: EADS and Airbus spin off three factories |publisher=AccessMyLibrary}} Aerospace periodical Flight International compared the move to Boeing's then-recent spin-off of Spirit AeroSystems.{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/free-spirit-builds-its-destiny/87751.article |title=Free spirit builds its destiny |publisher=Flight International |first=Murdo |last=Morrison |date=10 July 2009}}

The newly-formed Premium AEROTEC almost immediately committed to expansion in readiness for the production of forward fuselage sections for the A350 XWB airliner.{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/premium-aerotec-scales-up-ahead-of-a350-production/88741.article |title=Premium Aerotec scales up ahead of A350 production |publisher=Flight International |first=Niall |last=O'Keeffe |date=2 September 2009}} Additional contracts for work on the A350 XWB programme were also received over the following years.{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/paris-air-show-premium-aerotec-wins-third-a350-structures-contract/87136.article |title=PARIS AIR SHOW: Premium Aerotec wins third A350 structures contract |publisher=Flight International |first=Lori |last=Ranson |date=15 June 2009}}{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/ila-aerotec-shows-off-its-composites-bulk/93883.article |title=ILA: Aerotec shows off its composites bulk |publisher=Flight International |first=Niall |last=O'Keeffe |date=8 June 2020}} In 2009, Airbus announced that, despite the impact of the Great Recession, it would maintain commitments to its suppliers at a steady rate to support them.{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/paris-air-show-stable-high-delivery-stream-is-best-support-we-can-give-suppliers-enders/87314.article |title=PARIS AIR SHOW: Stable, high delivery stream is best support we can give suppliers: Enders |publisher=Flight International |first=Max |last=Kingsley-Jones |date=17 June 2009}} In June 2010, Premium AEROTEC was reportedly on-schedule for its A350 XWB commitments.{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/ila-aerotec-on-course-to-meet-a350-xwb-targets/93919.article |title=ILA: Aerotec on course to meet A350 XWB targets |publisher=Flight International |first=Dan |last=Thisdell |date=9 June 2010}}

In January 2009, Airbus stated its confidence that its recent spin-offs, including Premium AEROTEC, would be ready to seek out their own partners within three to five years.{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/airbus-standalone-plants-ready-for-partners-in-three-to-five-years-bregier/84641.article |title=Airbus standalone plants ready for partners 'in three to five years': Bregier |publisher=Flight International |first=Max |last=Kingsley-Jones |date=15 January 2009}} That same year, Premium AEROTEC was reportedly started to actively seek out additional customers for its products; having positioned itself as a Tier One supplier of aerostructures.{{cite news |last=Flottau |first=Jens |title=New EADS subsidiary Premium Aerotec works to become independent Tier 1 aerospace supplier |newspaper=AVIATION WEEK AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY |year=2009}} During 2012, it was announced that the firm had developed a corrugated wing spar on behalf of the North American aerospace firm Boeing.{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/ila-premium-aerotec-develops-corrugated-wing-spar-for-boeing/106987.article |title=ILA: Premium Aerotec develops corrugated wing spar for Boeing |publisher=Flight International |first=Michael |last=Gubisch |date=12 September 2012}} While the company also performs work for a variety of other aerospace manufacturers, Premium AEROTEC remains closely aligned with the needs of Airbus, which is a leading customer as well as the owner of the firm. During 2014, it was announced that the company planned to employ 3D printing technologies in its regular component manufacturing process within two years.{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/premium-aerotec-to-introduce-3d-printing-technology/114142.article |title=Premium Aerotec to introduce 3D printing technology |publisher=Flight International |first=Michael |last=Gubisch |date=7 August 2014}}

In April 2018, Premium Aerotec chose to adopt Skywise, Airbus's digital services platform, with the goal of improving its supply chain processes.{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/airframers/airbus-links-premium-aerospace-to-skywise-data-platform/127928.article |title=Airbus links Premium Aerospace to Skywise data platform |publisher=Flight International |first=Michael |last=Gubisch |date=27 April 2018}} During early 2020, Airbus recorded a €100m restructuring charge in relation to Premium Aerotec.{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/airframers/airbus-takes-100m-charge-to-restructure-key-fuselage-supplier/136733.article |title=Airbus takes €100m charge to restructure key fuselage supplier |publisher=Flight International |first=David |last=Kaminski-Morrow |date=13 February 2020}}

Locations

Aerotec operates factories in:

  • Augsburg, Germany, founded in 1916 by Bayerische Rumpler Werke{{cite web |url=http://www.sae.org/iaqg/meetings/2009munich/2009-10-16_PAG-1st_15_slides.pdf |access-date=26 March 2011 |title=Premium AEROTEC GmbH - Aerostructures for the Future |publisher=SAE}}
  • Bremen, Germany, founded in 1905 by Deutsche Schiffs- und Maschinenbau AG
  • Nordenham, Germany
  • Varel, Germany, founded in 1936 as Motorenwerk Varel; this site includes a close partnership with ThyssenKrupp who provide metal machining and logistics facilities{{cite web |url=http://www.asdnews.com/news/25920/ThyssenKrupp:_10-year_contract_with_EADS_subsidiary_Premium_AEROTEC.htm |access-date=26 March 2011 |title=ThyssenKrupp: 10-year contract with EADS subsidiary Premium AEROTEC |publisher=ASDNews}}
  • Ghimbav, Romania, founded in 2011 as Premium AEROTEC's first factory outside of Germany{{cite web |url=http://www.airlinepost.com/airline-news/eads-to-expand-to-romania.html |access-date=26 March 2011 |title=EADS to expand to Romania |publisher=Airline Post}}{{cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/analysis/analysis-airbus-powers-up-its-other-assets-in-romania/126438.article |title=ANALYSIS: Airbus powers up its other assets in Romania |publisher=Flight International |first=Murdo |last=Morrison |date=11 January 2018}}

The Varel and Nordenham sites were former Airbus factories; the Augsburg site belonged to EADS Military Air Systems.

Products

Premium AEROTEC is a tier-one supplier to Airbus; it produces metal components for all Airbus airliners and also award-winning titanium parts for the Airbus A400M{{cite web |url=http://www.airframer.com/news_story.html?release=11025 |access-date=26 March 2011 |title=Unique titanium component for A400M received an award |publisher=Airframer}}

A range of large composite parts are also made:

  • Fuselage sections for the Eurofighter Typhoon are made at Varel, and then assembled in Augsburg.{{cite web |url=http://www.eads.com/eads/int/en/news/press.691c1abe-0d33-4641-ad05-a0693668031f.70472f39-dd6f-4428-a792-91d82cb9791b.html |access-date=26 March 2011 |title=Premium AEROTEC makes first 3/2b Eurofighter fuselage section in Varel |publisher=EADS}}
  • Fuselage sections for the Airbus A400M;{{cite web |url=http://www.premium-aerotec.com/en/Fuselage.html |access-date=26 March 2011 |title=Fuselage |publisher=Premium AEROTEC}}
  • Several composite sections of the Airbus A350 are being produced, including the aft pressure bulkhead and a 93 square metre panel for the fuselage{{cite web |url=http://www.airframer.com/news_story.html?release=12067 |access-date=26 March 2011 |title=Biggest A350 XWB carbon fuselage panel manufactured |publisher=Airframer}}
  • On behalf of Vought and Latécoère, elements are being made for the Boeing 737 and Dassault Falcon.{{cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/06/17/328337/paris-air-show-composite-spin-off-targets-new-customers.html |access-date=26 March 2011 |title=PARIS AIR SHOW: Composite spin-off targets new customers |publisher=Flight International}}

References