Airbus admits that it must convince sceptical suppliers that it has adjusted production rates sufficiently, based on its evaluation of customer delivery requirements.
"It is our task to convince suppliers that we have a robust plan, that it is not built on sand but is very thought through, that the delivery plans are backed up by financing and that customers are really going to take the aircraft," says chief executive Tom Enders.
Chief operating officer Fabrice Bregier adds: "We consider we have better visibility than our suppliers," adds. "We don't want to build whitetails. So we are giving the suppliers data on the quality of our backlog and I think we can convince them during the show that we are at the [appropriate] rates."
Should Airbus have to cut rates, the way it will manage its workforce adjustments will vary country by country due to differing social rules, says Bregier. "We have more flexibility for example in Germany than in Spain, but we have other commercial solutions. If necessary we will reduce the interim workforce and if the crisis is deeper then we will use other soft social measures like short-time [working] to keep all our skilled resources ready for the ramp-up."
However, Bregier points out that the situation is "contrasted" across Airbus's various plants, as for example the newly created divisions Aerolia in France and Premium Aerotec in Germany "are recruiting massively engineers in support of the A350 programme".
Meanwhile, Scott Carson, Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief executive, says that rate reductions on the airframer's 747 and 777 lines was driven by concerns over the dramatic fall in demand for cargo aircraft, and the sector is being closely monitored to understand whether more changes are needed.
"The next six months will be incredibly important to us as we watch to see if inventory rebuilding begins, which I believe it will, and whether it is maritime or air freight. If that takes place [with air freight] then it feels like we can manage the risks there," he says.
Source: Flight International
