Abu Dhabi's Mubadala is stepping up construction of its first aerostructures factory, with an event yesterday to unveil the site that will open in a year's time at Al Ain.
Following agreements with EADS and Finmeccanica signed in 2008, Strata will initially build flap track fairings, ailerons, spoilers and empennages for Airbus and ATR aircraft at the facility, which is at the airport in the desert city. The ambition is for the business to become a "leading manufacturing base for the global aerospace industry", says Homaid Al Shemmari, associate director of Mubadala Aerospace.
The venture is a key component of the emirate's diversification strategy into sectors such as aerospace, with a plan to employ more than 1,000 at the factory by 2014. Mubadala plans to work with established airframers and tier one suppliers to create a global aerospace hub.
"The strength and breadth of our partnerships allow us to share knowledge, build our technical and R&D capabilities over time, and importantly, share the risk and rewards that come with creating a new industry," says Al Shemmari.
"The reward for Abu Dhabi is a new economic sector that supports our region's growth, and creates exciting and challenging career opportunities for people in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE."
Strata will manufacture parts of the empennage for ATR regional aircraft, with Finmeccanica subsidiary Alenia Aeronautica - co-owner of ATR - working with Strata to train staff and transfer knowledge.
It will deliver its first work package - Airbus A330/A340 flap track fairings - by September next year.
The Strata site is part of a wider scheme to establish an aerospace and aviation industrial city at Al Ain, a largely underused airport 2h drive from both Abu Dhabi city and Dubai.
Mubadala also owns the Horizon Flight Academy at Al Ain and Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies, the region's biggest third-party maintenance, repair and overhaul provider, which is based at Abu Dhabi International airport. It also owns stakes in Swiss MRO house SR Technics and Italian aircraft manufacturer Piaggio Aero.
Source: Flight Daily News
