Strata: High-tech aircraft parts maker in the UAE where 58% of workers are Emiratis — and 90% are women

SUCCESS STORY: The Al Ain, UAE-based Strata Manufacturing PJSC (Strata) is a home-grown success story. This November, Strata is marking its 10th year. The advanced composite aero-structures manufacturer has formed partnerships with the world’s leading airframers, like Boeing and Airbus, delivering more than 50,000 components. Strata has become a Tier 1 supplier to the world’s leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). 58 per cent of its employees are Emirati nationals, of whom nearly 90 per cent are women. Most of these highly skilled workers are directly involved in manufacturing operations.

COMPOSITE AERO-STRUCTURES MANUFACTURING: Strata Manufacturing PJSC (Strata) is a composite aero-structures manufacturing facility based in the heart of Nibras Al Ain Aerospace, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. Al Ain is part of Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital.

58% of Strata’s workers are UAE nationals (nearly 90% women). Its R&D department, created in 2015, primarily focuses on two areas: Digital technologies (3D Printer, Artificial Intelligence, Industry Internet of Things, Virtual Reality, etc.) and robotic manufacturing (fabrication, assembly & inspection).

FEMALE WORKFORCE: 58% of Strata's employees are Emirati nationals, and 90% of this Emirati workforce are women directly involved in manufacturing high-tech aircraft parts for customers like Boeing, Airbus and ATR. The company was established in 2009, with production beginning in 2010.

PARTNERS: Strata has partnerships with the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing and Leonardo-Finmeccanica Aero-structures Division as well as a supplier to Pilatus, FACC AG, SAAB and S.A.B.C.A.

TRAINING: To develop Strata’s engineering talent and capabilities, Strata employees undergo a training program that is focused on manufacturing engineering and design, and stress engineering in Boeing facilities in the US.

AEROSPACE HUB: Strata is wholly owned by Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala), the Abu Dhabi-based investment and development company and is part of the Aerospace, Renewables & ICT platform that aims to advance the development of a leading aerospace hub in Abu Dhabi.

VISION: Strata’s vision is to be a leader in advanced composite aero-structures and the partner of choice for our customers, driving the transformation of the global aerospace industry for Abu Dhabi, while delivering sustainable returns for our shareholder.

TRAINING PROGRAMME: Strata's engineering training program started in September 2017 with two Strata engineers, beginning an eight-month training program at a Boeing facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. The program will continue to train up to 24 engineers.

TECH LEADERSHIP: The UAE high-tech company's mission is to pursue technology leadership in composite aero-structures manufacturing, as well as purposeful collaboration and high performing staff and processes, with an embedded quality and safety culture, to deliver innovative, integrated, value-added solutions for our customers.

PRODUCTS: Among Strata's products include Airbus A330 family Flap Track Fairings, Airbus A330 family Ailerons, Airbus A330 family Spoilers, Airbus A350 – 900 family Flap Support Fairings; Airbus A350 – 1000 family Flap Support Fairings; Airbus A350 – 900 family Inboard Flaps and the Airbus A380 family Flap Track Fairings

58 per cent of Strata's employees are Emirati nationals and nearly 90 per cent of this are women

STAFF: A strata Emirati staff working in the Al Ain manufacturing facility. Among its products, made of composite aero-structures, include: Boeing B777 Empennage Ribs, Boeing B787 Vertical Fin Ribs; and Pilatus Aircraft PC-24 Composite Belly Fairings; Pilatus Aircraft PC-24 Composite Flap Track Fairings.

AIRPLANE RIBS: Strata is also poised to manufacture composite empennage ribs for Boeing’s new 777X airplane.

HIGH-TECH MANUFACTURING: The company is also set to manufacture the Vertical Fin for Boeing’s B787

EMIRATISATION DRIVE: As part of the company Emiratisation drive at Strata, over 300 UAE nationals graduated from the Aerostructure technicians training program. About 58% of the company workforce is UAE nationals.

A Strata manufacturing "clean room". Built in Al Ain in 2009, and expanded in 2015, the facility has 31,500 m2 of production floor space.

An operator works on a flap track fairing (FTF) in the non-destructive testing area to inspect it for unwanted components at Strata, a composite aerostructures manufacturing plant in Al Ain.