CNA – Boeing Co is confident of working through any potential disruption in titanium supplies due to its “very diverse” supply base, a senior executive at the United States (US) manufacturer said yesterday.
Boeing relies heavily on Russia’s VSMPO-AVISMA for the supply of titanium, a lightweight but strong metal that is used widely in planemaking.
“We’ve got a very diverse titanium supply now,” Boeing Commercial Airplanes head Stan Deal told reporters in a briefing ahead of the Singapore Airshow, which starts today.
“I will tell you that diversity gives us an opportunity to work through any disruption in the supply chain relative to titanium.”
Industry sources said Western aerospace firms have been increasing inventory or diversifying sources of supply since 2014 when Russia was sanctioned for its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, even though titanium was not directly targetted.
Their situation has been made easier by the fact that fewer jets are being assembled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, giving them opportunities to stockpile reserves.
