Three aircraft interior companies to visit North America and Germany

With Northern Ireland companies contributing £900 million to the aerospace sector’s annual revenue, 11 manufacturing companies are heading to the world’s leading aircraft interiors event AIX 2019 in Hamburg.

Three of those companies are showcasing how collaboration and performance are key to customer partnership. The companies have also been chosen as part of a Department for International Trade mission to Collins Aerospace (formerly Rockwell Collins) to its North Carolina facility, the week before the Expo.

Between them in 2018, Rostrevor-based seat cover manufacturer Bradfor, rapid response CNC machining and composite finishing company Exact Group, based in Newry and Carrickfergus plastic injection moulding company, IPC Mouldings, manufactured and delivered 3.7 million parts and assemblies.

All AS9100 accredited and successful participants in the SC21 aerospace programme, each company has set the bar in the aircraft interiors market, where innovation and excellence is the norm and can boast a combined history of 54 years’ experience.

However, it is their supply chain excellence that is really on show where quality, on time delivery and best practice is of the utmost importance. All three report shorter lead times than the industry average, offering an agile and competitive solution to the end customer. AIX 2019 will allow Bradfor, Exact Group and IPC Mouldings to continue building relationships, uncover new innovations and technologies, get inspired by leading experts and create opportunities, allowing them to be ahead of the curve and at the top of their business.

Patricia Clements, managing director of Bradfor, who has 30 years of experience in this industry said: “The aircraft interiors’ sector continues to evolve and change. With this comes the need to embrace new technologies to ensure that your product is the best there is. Last year, Bradfor was responsible for manufacturing nearly a third of a million products of which 55,000 were seat covers for new aeroplanes and our products were delivered to at least 10 countries worldwide.

Stephen Cromie, managing director of Exact Group, who specialises in rapid response said: “AIX 2019 is a great opportunity to engage with new and existing customers. It allows the Exact Group to showcase their precision engineering and composite finishing techniques and its rapid response, which we excel in; from enquiry to customer receipt.

“This we’ve achieved within as little as six hours with the delivery of products to the United States in as little as 38 hours. This is no small task as it includes programming, cutting the raw material, machining the parts, carrying out FAI, and then dispatch. Our composite finishing division cosmetically finish components to achieve the highest quality finishes within the industry and again these can be delivered in a rapid response time line.”

Joanne Liddle, managing director, IPC Mouldings added: “The Expo at Hamburg is a ‘must attend’ event for anyone in this sector. Collaboration and partnership is key to any customer relationship but with all three companies working in the same supply chain, it is evident that there is a core value of understanding and trust, which allows us to meet the current and future needs of our customer to ensure their product is brought to market within timescales. Value add is expected by our industry and we partner with our customer to deliver increased competitiveness through product whole life, from design and testing through to production and aftermarket requirement.”