Abu Dhabi’s Strata awarded $1bn Airbus parts contracts

Strata Manufacturing, the aero parts manufacturing unit of Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala, has been awarded two contracts by Airbus valued at more than $1bn.

The deals, signed at the UK’s Farnborough International Air Show, will see Strata construct the horizontal tail plane of the Airbus A320 and the inboard flaps of the A350-900 in Abu Dhabi.

“Looking ahead, and building on our latest contracts with Airbus signed today, we are confident in our ability to continue strengthening our competitiveness, growing our national workforce and playing a key role in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain’s positioning as a global aerospace hub,” said Strata chief executive Badr Al Olama.

Both parts will be built and assembled at the Nibras Al Ain Aerospace Park where Strata already constructs components for the A330 and A380.

The A350 is built with 53 per cent composite components to reduce fuel consumption and operating costs.

Yesterday, Strata’s parent company Mubadala signed a joint venture agreement with Belgian chemical and advanced materials company Solvay to manufacture composite materials for the aerospace industry in the UAE.

The new venture also signed a contract with Airbus rival Boeing to construct parts for the 777X line.

Read: Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala forms aircraft composites joint venture with Solvay

Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala, owned by the emirate’s sovereign wealth fund, aims to be among the world’s top three manufacturers of composite and metal parts for aeroplanes by 2020.

The firm recently appointed a new chairman and deputy CEO at Strata, which has existing partnerships with Airbus and Boeing as and suppliers including Alenia Aermacchi, FACC AG and SAAB

Read: Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala appoints new chairman, deputy CEO at Strata