Ethiopian Airlines will establish a local cabin equipment production facility in co-operation with German interior specialist ACM Aerospace.
The Star Alliance carrier says that the site will manufacture and supply to ACM Aerospace seat covers, safety belts, carpets and "many" other interior parts.
While the facility will initally use imported raw materials for the production, it will "shortly" be able to certificate leather and fabrics in order to support local suppliers, Ethiopian adds.
More than 100 staff will be employed by the plant, which is to be certificated by the European Aviation Safety Agency.
Ethiopian group chief executive Tewolde Gebremariam says the project has been developed in recognition of the government’s five-year industrialisation plan, and that it is part of similar aerospace initiatives.
“We are working in partnership with aircraft manufacturers and other aerospace suppliers to establish and develop labour-intensive aerospace manufacturing industry with a wide portfolio of products,” he says.
Flight Fleets Analyzer shows Ethiopian's passenger fleet includes nine A350s, 19 Boeing 737s – including one -Max-8 – six 767s, 10 777s, 21 787s, and 18 Bombardier Q400 turboprops.
The carrier has orders for 15 A350s, 29 737 Max-8s, one 787, and 18 Q400s.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
