Alcoa

Lightweight metal company Alcoa has signed two long-term parts supply agreements with Boeing, valued at more than $2.5bn.

Under the deal, Alcoa will provide multi-material fastening systems for each Boeing platform and ready-to-install titanium seat track assemblies for the entire family of 787 Dreamliners.

The supply of multi-material fastening systems deal includes advanced titanium, stainless steel, alloy steel, aluminium and nickel-based superalloy fastening systems for every Boeing platform, including 777X, 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner.

Alcoa Fastening Systems & Rings will manufacture fastening systems at seven of its manufacturing plants worldwide.

The 777X is Boeing’s newest addition to its commercial airplane. The first delivery of 737 MAX is scheduled in 2017.

Under the second contract, Alcoa will supply ready-to-install titanium seat track assemblies for all three members of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner family.

"Under the deal, Alcoa will provide multi-material fastening systems for each Boeing platform."

Under a contract signed in 2007, Alcoa Titanium & Engineered Products (ATEP), formerly RTI International Metals (RTI), has supplied seat tracks for Boeing’s 787-9 and 787-8 models.

In July, ATEP acquired RTI and before completion of the deal, RTI and Boeing amended the deal signed in 2007. The new contract allows ATEP to supply seat tracks for those variants and the 787-10 model of Boeing.

Seat tracks are mounted to the floor of airplanes for securing passenger seats and to strengthen the fuselage structure. Titanium seat tracks are said to be stronger, lightweight and provide other features compared to traditional materials.

Alcoa chairman Klaus Kleinfeld said: "Alcoa has positioned itself to win in a multi-material aerospace industry, and these deals are the latest proof points that our strategy is working."

In 2014, Alcoa signed a deal worth over $1bn with Boeing for flat-rolled aluminium sheet and plate products, making Alcoa a lone supplier of wing skins for all metallic structure airplanes of Boeing.

The company signed a similar deal, valued at $1bn, with Airbus to supply fasteners for A350 XWB, A320neo and A330, in October.


Image: Alcoa signs two supply contracts with Boeing valued at $2.5bn. Photo: courtesy of Boeing.