Russia's VSMPO has won a four-year Boeing contract to supply titanium, with the previous five-year deal due to end next year.
It will be the first large raw materials supply contract for Boeing since 11 September, and will move VSMPO from third to second place Boeing titanium supplier. The previous agreement covered the annual purchase of 250-400t, but the new deal links order volume with supplier sales performance, such as timely delivery and manufacturing quality. It also calls for joint development of new alloys for the Sonic Cruiser and the Sukhoi/Ilyushin/Boeing Russian Regional Jet. "The purchase of metal goes 18 months ahead of the actual production - that's why we are talking about an increase in Russian orders," says Boeing director of raw materials and standards Bob Noble.
Meanwhile, Boeing will increase the number of Russian engineers at its Moscow design centre from 300 to 450 by year-end.
Source: Flight International
