Article Posted on : - Jun 21, 2017

A file photo.

MUMBAI (PTI): European aviation major Airbus has awarded a long-term contract to Mahindra Aerostructures to manufacture and supply a set of components made of hard metals.

These components - aerospace steel, titanium and Inconel - will be used in manufacturing single aisle A320neo and wide-body A350XWB aircraft, a release said here on Tuesday.

This will be the first direct work package from Airbus to Mahindra Aerostructures, which will execute the work together with its sub-tier French firm Segnere SAS, it said.

According to the release, the products will be delivered directly to Airbus facilities in Europe from India and France, thereby providing the leading aircraft maker an optimum mix of cost structures and logistics flexibility.

Segnere has several years of experience working with hard metals and supplies components directly to Airbus.

"This latest contract to Mahindra is another step forward in having more 'Made in India' content on Airbus aircraft," Airbus India President for Commercial Aircraft Srinivasan Dwarakanath said.

Mahindra Aerostructures currently operates a 2.50 lakh sq ft facility near Bengaluru. The facility caters to components made of aerospace aluminium alloys.

Mahindra is now adding hard metals capabilities at the unit to execute the new contract with Airbus, the release said.

"This contract is another significant milestone in our growing relationship with Airbus and strengthens the government's Make in India initiative," S P Shukla, Mahindra Aerospace chairman and group president for aerospace and defence at Mahindra Group, said.