Airbus is poised to take over all or part of the operations of four Spirit AeroSystems plants as part of an impending deal that involves a carve-up of the U.S.-based aerostructures maker with Boeing, industry sources said on Tuesday. As expected, the two main plants involved in the transfer to Airbus are Kinston, North Carolina, where Spirit makes a crucial part of the A350 fuselage known as Section 15 and a historic plant in Northern Ireland that makes carbon wings for the A220.
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Additionally, Airbus is expected to absorb activities at a plant in the aerospace cluster in Casablanca, Morocco, where Spirit does some fuselage work for the A220 and produces some engine nacelles or housings for the A320, they said. Also expected to be involved is Spirit's plant in Saint-Nazaire in western France, which receives the A350 sections built in Kinston and partially assembles them to be sent on to Airbus in Toulouse where the wide-body jets are made. Other Spirit plants include Wichita, Kansas, where it carries out its main Boeing operations, as well as Prestwick in Scotland, Subang in Malaysia, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The deal, which has been in the works for months, would see Boeing take over Spirit's operations that support its own aircraft production while Airbus would take over Spirit's operations that support Airbus' production. The move is part of a broader effort by Boeing and Airbus to streamline their supply chains and reduce costs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has severely impacted the aviation industry.
Spirit AeroSystems is a key supplier for both Boeing and Airbus, providing fuselage sections, wing components, and other parts for a wide range of aircraft models. The company has struggled financially in recent years, and the deal with Boeing and Airbus is seen as a way to stabilize its operations. The deal is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, pending regulatory approvals and other formalities.