EADS Augsburg Opens New Production Area at the Fighter Bomber Air Base Lechfeld
Augsburg, le 30 septembre 2002
In spite of the adverse economic situation in the international aviation business, Augsburg has once again expanded as an aviation centre. This Monday Dr. Lutz Bertling, head of the plant, pressed symbolically the button to start the production at the newly established works division of EADS Augsburg in Lagerlechfeld.
In October 2001 EADS had hired the “Pia Süd” hangar owned from the local fighter bomber wing, “Jagdbombergeschwader 32 ECR”. This enlargement became necessary on account of the additional tasks assigned to Augsburg within the new A380 and A400M programmes. EADS will be producing part of the wings – the so-called bathtub – for the A380 here. After the start of the series production up to 100 such components will be leaving the new works division each year. EADS spends 6.8 million EUR for adapting the hall on their production standards and installing a complete infrastructure.
A special advantage of the Lechfeld site is that an exclusive permission was granted to EADS for use of the runway of the fighter bomber wing. This enables the parts manufactured in Lechfeld to be directly airlifted by the Beluga, the Airbus giant transporter.
For the hangar conversion, the floor was first of all newly coated and major paintwork carried out both on the inside and outside of the building. Alongside this, EADS build up a fence, a car park and completely installed its own new infrastructure, power and compressed air supply for the hangar, telephone network, computer link-up and its own shuttle link to the existing plants in Augsburg.
Further extension and conversion work for production of the bathtub is now starting. This includes new drilling and portal crane equipment, a paintshop and external staff offices. To this end, EADS Augsburg will develop a total of 5400 square metres for its production facilities. Initially the keel beam for the Airbus single aisle family will be built here. In addition, guests at the event were already able to inspect the first A380 components.
The Augsburg facility is part of the EADS Military Aircraft Business Unit and responsible for production of all centre fuselage sections and electrical components in the Eurofighter four-nation programme. With the production of tail sections for almost the entire aircraft family, as well as further assemblies, Augsburg is one of the most important supply facilities for Airbus. In 2001 Augsburg delivered a total of 360 so-called tail section assemblies to Airbus. In addition 10 Eurofighter centre fuselage sections were dispatched from the facility bound for Manching.
EADS Augsburg has demonstrated its reliability on repeated occasions. Almost concurrently with today’s opening at Lechfeld, the first two multi-function rail launchers (MFRL) for the Eurofighter left the facility on schedule, bound for Italy. Augsburg is due to produce up to 14 of these each month.
The Augsburg facility is part of the EADS Military Aircraft Business Unit and responsible for production of all centre fuselage sections and electrical components in the four-nation Eurofighter programme. Augsburg is one of the most important supply facilities for Airbus with the production of tail sections for almost the entire aircraft family and other assemblies.
EADS is a leading aerospace and defence company, and with revenues of EUR30.8 billion the second largest in its branch. EADS maintains a workforce of more than 100,000 and is a market leader in defence technologies, commercial aircraft, helicopters, space, military transport and combat aircraft, as well as related services. Its family of leading brands includes the commercial aircraft maker Airbus; Eurocopter, the world's largest helicopter manufacturer; Astrium, the space company, and MBDA, the world's second largest missile company. EADS is also the biggest partner in the Eurofighter consortium and heads the A400M military transport aircraft programme. EADS has more than 70 facilities in France, Germany, Spain and the UK. It is active in markets around the world, including the U.S. and Asia.
Your points of contact:
EADS Military Aircraft
Wolfram Wolff
Tel: +49 (0)89 607-25711
Fax: +49 (0)89 607-22455
e.mail: wolfram.wolff@m.eads.net
Augsburg facility
Dr. Frank Liemandt
Tel.: +49 (0)821 801-62322
Fax: +49 (0)821 801-62090
e.mail: frank.liemandt@m.eads.net
