Bharat Forge (BFL) has signed a multi-year contract with Boeing Commercial Airplane to supply titanium forgings for wing components for the Next-Generation 737 and 737 Max. Under the agreement, Bharat Forge will begin supplying pre-machined forgings from its facilities in Pune and Baramati to Boeing in the first quarter of 2016. The titanium parts will be heat-treated, shaped in a forging press, and machined by Bharat Forge before being shipped to Boeing Portland for finish achining into components. The components then will be installed in the Next-Generation 737 and 737 Max wings at the final assembly plant in Renton, Wash.
Kent Fisher, vice president and general manager, supplier management, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said, “We are pleased to welcome Bharat Forge into our supply chain as they have an impressive record of performance across many industries. Our discussions with Bharat Forge chairman and managing director Baba Kalyani and his leadership team leading up to this agreement have demonstrated not only a high level of technical expertise, but also an understanding of the need to meet aviation market requirements for affordability.”
Pratyush Kumar, president, Boeing India said, “This contract will help us deliver cost-effective components to one of Boeing’s latest airplanes- the 737 Max – and is yet another demonstration of our accelerating engagement with Indian suppliers to scale-up aerospace manufacturing aligned with the Prime Minister’s ‘Make in India’.”
BN Kalyani, chairman and managing director, Bharat Forge said, “It is our strategic intent to play a significant role in global aerospace supply chain with Forged and Machined products and assemblies in future. We have created requisite infrastructure and have secured relevant global quality homologations. We are targeting revenues in excess of US$100 million per annum from this sector. This supply-chain partnership with Boeing is a momentous step forward towards our goal. This also affirms our strong resolve to support the ‘Make in India’ drive in the defense and aerospace sector.”