Monteiasi - Grottaglie (Taranto) 10 February 2014
Boeing and Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica Company, have finalized a restructured contract for the 787 Program. The contract establishes a new performance based business arrangement that will drive improved operational performance for Alenia Aermacchi and the 787 program. Based on the market success and increased production rates of the 787 program, Boeing has confirmed orders for additional shipsets from Alenia Aermacchi within the contract period.
This agreement will strengthen Alenia Aermacchi relationship with Boeing providing stability to the industrial and business performance of Alenia Aermacchi.
Alenia Aermacchi is successfully providing the required performance to support program rate increases that hit rate 10. Alenia Aermacchi produces fuselage Section 44 and 46 for the 787 program in Grottaglie plant and horizontal stabilizers in Foggia. To date Alenia Aermacchi has delivered nearly 200 units.
Background Information
Alenia Aermacchi for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Alenia Aermacchi plays a key role in the manufacturing of the 787 Dreamliner aircraft, producing the horizontal stabilizer and the central and aft sections of the fuselage, which total 14% of the aircraft’s structure. Alenia Aermacchi manufactures the aircraft’s components with machineries and cutting-edge production processes. The horizontal stabilizer is manufactured with a special Alenia Aermacchi-patented technology that allows for production using a simple piece of composite material.
Alenia Aermacchi’s facilities participating in the 787 Dreamliner programme
Monteiasi-Grottaglie
The plant in Monteiasi-Grottaglie (near Taranto) is solely focused on the 787 Dreamliner programme and employs approximately 750 workers. The plant manufactures two large mid-body sections of the fuselage that are being manufactured, for the first time, using a patented “one piece barrel” technology and a highly automated production process. This unique patented technology works with composites throughout the primary structure of the aircraft.
The Monteiasi-Grottaglie industrial complex was designed to address two rigorous production challenges. First, an expansive manufacturing area able to accommodate its own structure in a single building was required. In addition, the facility needed to be located near an airport that provided services and infrastructure suitable for the Dreamlifter, the special cargo version of the B747 developed by Boeing for the purpose of transporting 787 Dreamliner components to Charleston, South Carolina (USA).
The building is made of three aisles, (measuring about 65,000 square meters, or the size of a 15 football fields) and includes a modern clean room of approximately 175,000 cubic meters. The facility is comparable in size to a 3,000-room hotel.
Foggia
Foggia is a site dedicated to the production of composite material and carbon fibre. The 329,869 sqm industrial site, 54,670 sqm of which is covered, employs about 950 workers and is involved in composite and carbon fibre manufacturing for both commercial and military applications. For the 787, the Foggia facility manufactures the horizontal stabilizer in carbon fibre.
Pomigliano d’Arco
Pomigliano d’Arco (near Naples) is Alenia Aermacchi’s biggest plant in South Italy with its 320,000 sqm. In particular, design activities, laboratory tests and specialized production of some primary structure components for the 787 are performed in this multi-use facility.