Leonardo is contemplating greater integration between its aerostructures business and its customers in future as it battles to return the division to profitability amid a challenging market.
In addition, discussions continue between the Italian company and Boeing as it seeks revised contract terms for the fuselage work it performs on the 787 programme.
That issue has been heightened by slower than expected production of the Dreamliner related to quality problems, leading Leonardo to plan a four-month shutdown at its Grotaglie site in southern Italy where it builds composite centre fuselage barrels for the programme.
Uncertainty around Boeing’s relationship with Spirit AeroSystems – likely to be reabsorbed by the airframer next year - has also been a complicating factor.
Speaking to FlightGlobal, Lorenzo Mariani, co-general manager at Leonardo, says the problems “have been affecting us a lot” as the assembly of an aircraft “goes at the speed of the slowest [supplier]”.
“We are discussing now with Boeing the way to recover the right rate to fill the Grottaglie plant – a plant that is born and is fully dedicated today to the 787,” says Mariani.
Although he says the company “still believes” in the long-term need for an aerostructures business “but we think that we should find a way to make it more sustainable, and to make it more sustainable probably different options have to be explored”.
In the short-term, that means introducing different programmes to the plant, including final assembly of the AW609 tiltrotor.
“The other one is to be further integrated with the other providers of such work,” says Mariani. “It’s obvious that the capability to provide that structure work will sooner or later will have to be more integrated.”
While there is “no plan” yet, Mariani admits that “we are exchanging ideas” with Airbus and Boeing. “It is nothing more than discussions, there is no concrete option”.
“We don’t think it is a business that can stay as it is forever as we cannot afford to have something bleeding inside [the company].”
Meanwhile, Mariani is confident that it can agree improved contract terms with Boeing in the coming months.
“I think that finding an equitable solution is always in the interest of both parties,” he says, noting Leonardo’s sole-source position on several components and the investments it has made.
However, the problems with Boeing are likely to delay the aerostructures business reaching break-even, a target previously set for 2025.
