Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa International) says it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South African aeronautical engineering and manufacturing firm, Aerosud Holdings, establishing a joint-venture company that will produce and supply various aircraft parts to Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac), Boeing (BOE, Washington National), and other aerospace companies.
As part of the project, a facility will be established in the vicinity of Addis Ababa International Bole International Airport.
"We are happy to establish this joint venture with Ethiopian Airlines and we would like to share Aerosud’s long years of experience working with major aircraft manufactures such as Boeing and Airbus and help Ethiopian in the development of the aerospace manufacturing industry in the Country,” Johan Steyn, managing director of the Aerosud Group, said during the signing ceremony in Addis Ababa this week.
Concerning Airbus, Aerosud manufactures various parts for a variety of Airbus aircraft, and is the exclusive supplier of A320 flap-track cans (housings). It also manufactures the A320 avionics bay racks and sheet metal parts for the wings in addition to supplying key parts for other Airbus aircraft such as the A350.
Concerning Boeing, Aerosud supplies cabin interior composite parts to the US manufacturer producing aluminium parts, parts in vacuum form plastic (mainly interior trim), and some composites. The Aerosud Airline Interiors Division has also been involved in the interior design of the B707, 727, 737, 747, 767 and 777 series, as well as the Airbus A300 and A320, and the MD-9X and -11 airliners. It has also designed and produced closet units for the B777.
