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Alcoa Congratulates Boeing on 1000th 777 Airplane

Dépèche transmise le 2 mars 2012 par Business Wire

Alcoa Congratulates Boeing on 1000th 777 Airplane

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alcoa (NYSE:AA) today congratulated the employees of Boeing on reaching an historic milestone in commercial aviation: the production of the 1000^th Boeing 777 airplane. The Boeing 777 was launched in October 1990 with an order from United Airlines and since has become one of the most successful programs in aviation history.

“With a backlog of almost 400 planes – and many, many more orders likely to come for this successful program – we look forward to continuing to deliver high-value solutions that increase fuel efficiency and lower operating and maintenance costs.”

“We are proud to have been a part of the Boeing 777 program since its inception through to this historic moment… and beyond,” said Olivier Jarrault, Group President Alcoa Engineered Products and Solutions and leader of Alcoa’s aerospace market team. “With a backlog of almost 400 planes – and many, many more orders likely to come for this successful program – we look forward to continuing to deliver high-value solutions that increase fuel efficiency and lower operating and maintenance costs.

“We will continue working with Boeing to innovate for current and next variants within the program, including identifying applications across multiple areas of the airplane where our newest aluminum lithium alloys can increase fuel efficiency even further, while also lowering operating costs and production risk,” said Jarrault.

There are approximately three million parts in a Boeing 777 provided by 500 suppliers from around the world. Alcoa supplies a variety of materials from wing tip to wing tip and nose to tail to help make the 777 one of the most reliable airplanes in the industry, including:

• More than 280,000 pounds of sheet and plate products for critical fuselage and wing structures;
• Extrusions used in wing and fuselage stringers, spar caps, seat tracks and keel beams;
• Forgings used in wheel components and structural wing box components such as structural frames and landing gear components;
• Nearly one million fasteners, including internally and externally threaded, holding key elements of the airplane together; and
• Advanced single crystal, high pressure turbine airfoils used in the GE90-115B, the exclusive engine for the extended range Boeing 777 models, as well as low pressure turbine airfoils, thermal barrier coatings and titanium structural components within the engine and airframe.

Alcoa supplies parts to the 777 from the following locations: Tucson and Chandler, Arizona; Carson, City of Industry, Fullerton, Newbury Park, Simi Valley, Sylmar, and Torrance, Calif.; Branford, CT; Lafayette, IN; Davenport, Iowa; Whitehall, Michigan; Dover, NJ; Cleveland, Ohio; Morristown, Tenn.; and Wichita Falls, TX; and Hampton, VA.

The 1000^th Boeing 777 is a 300ER (extended range) model and will be delivered to Dubai-based Emirates in March. Boeing has responded to strong customer demand by introducing six 777 models. Alcoa has been a part of the growth of the 777 family and looks forward to supporting future Boeing 777 innovations as a result of positive response from airlines and air passengers around the world. For more information on the Boeing 777, visit www.boeing.com/commercial/777family/.

About Alcoa Aerospace

Alcoa Aerospace is comprised of four businesses with operations across the world totaling approximately $3.4 billion in revenues and #1 share positions in their markets: Alcoa Global Rolled Products and Alcoa Forgings and Extrusions serving the structures market; and Alcoa Fastening Systems and Alcoa Power and Propulsion. Alcoa’s aerospace solutions run from nose to tail and from wing-tip to wing-tip. Alcoa has been at the forefront of every major milestone in aerospace history based on its commitment to continually innovate and a “beyond materials” philosophy – where materials, structures, and designs work in concert to provide optimal solutions for customers. And the Company has recently expanded its capabilities to produce aluminum lithium in three locations across the world.

About Alcoa

Alcoa is the world’s leading producer of primary and fabricated aluminum, as well as the world’s largest miner of bauxite and refiner of alumina. In addition to inventing the modern-day aluminum industry, Alcoa innovation has been behind major milestones in the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation, consumer electronics and industrial markets over the past 120 years. Among the solutions Alcoa markets are flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, as well as Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems in addition to its expertise in other light metals such as titanium and nickel-based super alloys. Sustainability is an integral part of Alcoa’s operating practices and the product design and engineering it provides to customers. Alcoa has been a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for 10 consecutive years and approximately 75 percent of all of the aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in active use today. Alcoa employs approximately 61,000 people in 31 countries across the world. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com.