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procuring materials elsewhere? “Our view is that the global aerospace
More value add includes laser cutting services Webb meanwhile points to the
increasing production demands for more commercial aircraft driven by the likes of the Far East and India.
“While this is happening, aerospace OEMs are much more concerned about getting their supply of materials on time, in quality and in the volumes they require, than they are about forcing suppliers to drop their prices,” he suggests. “It’s costing them far more money if they don’t get their materials through the factory door on time. “There is definitely a push to add more
value to the product, which means that we as a company have to add a wider range of raw materials and services and products, such as offering semi-finished machining and routing processes, waterjet and laser cutting services, as opposed to just traditional bar and plate cutting.” The conversation now turns to what metalweb see as an increasing demand for materials certified to American specifications. So why this trend and what are the key differences in
market comprises many small and medium-sized subcontractors supplying materials all over the world,” states Maggs. “Meanwhile, the OEMs are engaged in the process of trying to rationalise and simplify their supply chains. As the OEMs ship materials around the world, they are looking for common material specifications and supplies to become available. With parts moving from say, China to America and then back to the UK and then out to India, trying to find materials that are readily available as the work gets moved around the world is very important. “Dealing with one common set of
material specifications makes the entire holistic process of looking at the supply chain a little easier. The reason why we’re seeing more aerospace companies choose American specifications is because they are the most widely used; they offer a starting point from which customers can easily reference. It also means that in many cases, materials of several different national specifications can be multi- released.”
Hunting high and low Webb points to the fact that in recent years, a number of production mills have rationalised or closed down completely. “Many of the remaining European mills
Bruce Maggs, managing director
are very busy working at full capacity,” he explains. “This has led to many customers feeling that if they can’t use a particular branded material specification, then what international equivalents can they use instead, whilst still meeting a particular standard, approval and certification. Over the last year we’ve seen increasingly more customers contact us for international American approved material equivalents. It shows there is a trend that customers are much more prepared to meet the demands taking place on some of the latest aircraft programmes that require them to look at new material specification alternatives.” The fluctuating fortunes of the global
Derek Webb, director
economy, coupled with a burgeoning demand for more commercial aircraft manufacturing in Asia and a supply chain faced with ever more buyouts and acquisitions means that today’s materials suppliers need to be as tough and durable as some of the materials they provide. Owned by US-based Reliance, metalweb is allowed to run effectively as an independent business in the UK, which according to Maggs and Webb, offers the company the best of both worlds. “We have the global ability to tap into
better pricing and the aggregation of demand, whilst still maintaining local relationships and connections with our customers, Webb concludes. “Being a part of Reliance gives us that ability to meet growing aircraft build rates and the requirements of adding more value for our customers. We are part of a group that is in it for the long run. “We are seeing more consolidation and where everyone in the aerospace supply chain now has the strength to pull together. Our parent company recently announced a US $1 billion acquisition in North America, which provides proof that whatever the industry, there will always be big companies. The trick is in how they go about collaborating with the small companies so that they both get
the very best out of working together.” ❙
www.metalweb.co.uk
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