Boeing is in talks with several other Asian aerospace manufacturers about potential participation in the 7E7 programme.
Boeing held a supplier conference in Beijing in November to discuss potential opportunities in the 7E7. Twenty-five companies from China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan attended.
"There is a very strong supply base throughout Asia," says Boeing vice-president of business development and global strategy Wade Cornelius. "We'd like to engage with them to see where we can partner."
Companies seeking roles in the 7E7 include Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation, Composites Technology Research Malaysia, Korea Aerospace Industries and Korean Air Aerospace. All these companies are leading candidates to supply either Boeing or one of its five major 7E7 airframe suppliers with aerostructure components.
Boeing plans to select suppliers for aerostructures as well as raw materials later this year. Fuji, Kawasaki and Mitsubishi of Japan will also select some component suppliers, with other companies in Japan the leading candidates. Alenia Aeronautica of Italy and Vought Aircraft Industries of the USA could source in Asia some of the components that they require to assemble the 7E7 fuselage and horizontal stabiliser.
Source: Flight International
