Dubai: Strata Manufacturing, a Mubadala Development Company subsidiary, is now a Tier 1 supplier to Boeing, the US-based aircraft manufacturer. Strata, based in Al Ain, delivered its first shipset of 777 composite ribs to Boeing Fabrication facilities in Washington earlier this year, the two companies said in a joint statement this week.
“Strata’s first delivery of composites to Boeing is a significant achievement in our effort to continue building a capable, competitive supply chain for our products,” stated Kent Fisher, vice president and general manager, Supplier Management, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
The components have been installed in the vertical fin and horizontal stabilisers of a 777-300ER (extended range) that will be delivered to Emirates later this year.
“By becoming a direct supplier for a primary structure on the Boeing 777 programme, Strata is proud to have achieved a major milestone for the UAE’s expanding aerospace industry,” stated Badr Al Olama, chief executive of Strata Manufacturing.
Boeing and Mubadala first signed an agreement in 2009 to manufacture composites in Al Ain. In 2011, the companies said Strata would become a major Tier 1 supplier to Boeing and in 2013, signed a contract to supply as much as $2.5 billion in advanced composites and machined metals.
Last month, Homaid Al Shemmari, chief executive of Mubadala Aerospace and Engineering Services, said he hoped to conclude discussions this year on what parts will be supplied as part of the latest contract.
Mubadala, an Abu Dhabi government investment vehicle, has targeted the aerospace industry as a component of the emirate’s economic diversification strategy.
