Lanarkshire-based MB Aerospace has secured a seven-figure contract for work on Europe's latest military transport aircraft.
Lanarkshire-based MB Aerospace has secured a seven-figure contract for work on Europe's latest military transport aircraft.
One of its main subsidiaries, MB Faber which is a mechanical and electrical engineering design business based in Lancashire, has been appointed by Airbus UK to design and build operational tooling for building wings for the A400M military transport aircraft.
The company said the contract would be worth more than £1m. The planes are being built for European air forces including Germany, France, Turkey and the UK. So far 192 planes have been ordered.
Ian Eaves, general manager of the company's aero- space division, said: "Airbus is one of the world's leading aircraft manufacturers and we are very proud of our close association with the company."
He said the design work would be carried out at its site in Leyland, Lancashire, and then manufactured by sub-contractors in the UK and Western Europe, before being used in the construction of the wings.
Graham Wood, chief manufacturing engineer for the A400M wing programme, said: "This tooling contract is pivot-al to the success of A400M wing production and our supplier selection was based on a detailed understanding and knowledge of wing assembly requirements."
MB Faber has also recently secured a contract to test equipment involved in the construction of Airbus's new A350 XWB (extra wide body) passenger aircraft. In June, it secured a contract worth up to £2m for work at the Sellafield nuclear site.
MB Aerospace, which boasts former BAE Systems chief executive John Weston as chairman, was formed from a management buy-out last year from Motherwell Bridge.
The buy-out was led by 32-year-old Craig Gallagher, with backing from the private equity arm of Lloyds TSB and debt from Royal Bank of Scotland.
The firm announced the business win on the eve of the Farnborough air show at which it is exhibiting this week.
The event has so far been dominated by news that Canadian company Bombardier has launched a new 110 to 130-seat airliner, the CSeries, in an effort to challenge Airbus and American company Boeing. Longstanding customer Lufthansa has provisionally order 30 planes with an option for 30 more. The planes will sell for $46.7m (£23.5m) each.
Airbus and Boeing have a combined backlog of around 1100 aircraft of the types Bormbardier is launching. The CSeries will compete with the smaller versions of the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320.
