Strata Manufacturing (Strata), Mubadala Aerospace’s advanced composite aerostructures plant in Al Ain (UAE), has won a work package on the new Airbus A350 XWB; the first Airbus aircraft with both fuselage and wing structures made primarily of advanced composite materials.

Although Strata manufactures other products, this work package is the first that Strata has competitively bid for and won.

This achievement comes on the back of an internationally competitive tender process by leading Belgian company SABCA, acting as sole-source Airbus Tier-1 Risk Sharing Partner for the design, industrialization and manufacturing of the A350XWB Flap Support Structures and Flap Support Fairings.

Through SABCA, Strata will provide flap track fairings for the A350 XWB, complementing its existing Airbus flap track fairing work packages for the manufacturer’s fleet of A330, A340 and the A380 aircraft.

In its initial 18 months of operations, Strata has built a strong reputation within the industry for being a reliable supplier of high quality advanced composite aerostructures. This particular contract with SABCA runs over the life-time of the A350 program and its value to Strata will exceed USD 200 million by 2030, taking Strata’s contracted work, in the last 18 months alone, to well over USD 1 billion.

Speaking at the signing of the contract with SABCA, Ross Bradley, CEO of Strata said: “This win reinforces Strata’s position as a leading global manufacturer of aerostructures. We have demonstrated our capabilities in delivering cost-effective products of high quality and I am proud we have once again been selected as a key supplier for this important aircraft.”

“Advanced composites are the future of aircraft manufacturing. Strata has been paving the way in this field and is recognized as an industry leader by major aircraft manufacturers; SABCA’s decision to award Strata this contract endorses our reputation as an industry leader,” Bradley continued.

SABCA CEO, Daniel Blondeel said: “SABCA is a tier one supplier for several OEMs and is an expert in metallic and composite aero structures packages.  Since the beginning of 2009, SABCA was selected by Airbus for the development and production of the flap mechanism and fairing assembly package of the A350.  Due to its permanent R&T effort, SABCA develops and certifies products based on a concurrent engineering approach guaranteeing best manufacturing processes.  As a partner of Airbus, SABCA is today glad to have STRATA joining the A350 Program and is confident that it will contribute to the success of the Program.”

Much of Strata’s success can be linked to the skills and quality of the individuals it employs. In the past 12 months, Strata has been able to raise the proportion of UAE nationals working for the company from 1% to 33% - the majority of which are women. This promising trend is the result of a well-constructed education engagement strategy designed by Mubadala Aerospace, implemented by Strata.

Bradley said: “Strata’s commitment to education and Emiratization is vital for the long-term sustainability of our business.”

The Strata facility is a cornerstone at Nibras - the Al Ain Aerospace Park which is being jointly developed by Mubadala Aerospace and the Abu Dhabi Airports Company. Nibras will serve as a catalyst for Abu Dhabi’s economic diversification, employment generation and economic development; attracting world class aerospace manufacturers, suppliers, research and knowledge institutions, and educational facilities to contribute significantly towards the development of the global aerospace industry.