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SECTOR VIEW ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
ON DIFFERENT PLANES
While the Covid-19 pandemic has all but grounded the civil aerospace sector that is so vital to Lancashire’s economic fortunes, causing redundancies and uncertainty, the county’s military planemakers have received job-securing orders
Special report by Ged Henderson
COMMERCIAL PLANEMAKING STALLS AS COVID GROUNDS GROWTH
The impact of Covid-19 on Lancashire’s commercial aerospace sector has been deep and damaging with industry experts warning the job losses seen across the county may not yet be at an end.
With the virus grounding much of the world, new aircraft orders have been massively curtailed with some airlines cancelling or looking to defer programmes.
Airbus has reduced its production rates significantly. Production of its single aisle A320 has been cut from 63 aircraft a month to 40. Widebody aircraft production has almost halved.
Boeing has similarly reduced its production rates, while it also faced the total grounding of its latest version of its 737 Max in the wake two fatal crashes.
Aerospace employs around 17,000 people in Lancashire. The impact has been felt deep down the supply chain, with Rolls-Royce and Safran Nacelles among business announcing job losses in the county.
It will be key to engage customers
to bring innovation and add value
Sharon McDonald, chief executive of the North West Aerospace Alliance (NWAA), says: “Over the last seven months we have seen
a range of responses by the Lancashire aerospace supply chain.
“Initially companies were working through their order backlog. Orders are now at lower levels, with 30-50 per cent reductions, and shorter periods.
“Some companies have introduced redundancy programmes, while others have focused on using the furlough scheme.
“Some have tried to boost work from other markets already served, others have sought to use their capabilities in other manufacturing served sectors.”
She adds: “Continued uncertainty in the commercial sector means that more job losses are possible.
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