Anglo-French co-operation between Rolls-Royce and Hispano-Suiza (Safran) has entered a major new phase with the confirmation of the joint venture that the companies announced in London in early July this year.
The two companies have now signed the final agreement which, through an initial 25-year contract, is to create a jointly-owned company to design, develop, produce and support accessory drive train transmissions (ADT) for all of the future Rolls-Royce civil aircraft engines, from business jets to widebody commercial aircraft.
In particular, the new company will contribute to the Airbus A330neo, a new aircraft for which the new Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 will be the exclusive engine available, as announced at the Farnborough Air Show in July.
Subject to approval by the regulatory authorities, the new joint venture will start operation early next year. It will have its headquarters at the Hispano-Suiza facility in Colombes, in the greater Paris area, and will also operate at Rolls-Royce facilities in Derby, UK, and Dahlewitz, Germany. Construction of a new production plant in a competitive, or low cost, country will begin in 2015, with the intention of starting operations in late 2016 or early 2017.
It is anticipated that the joint venture company will, initially, have about 180 employees, including staff from the parent companies.
Hélène Moreau-Leroy, Chairman and CEO of Hispano-Suiza, said: “The creation of this joint venture marks a major step towards the consolidation of our historical relationship within a long-term partnership, and enables us to stake out a position on new aircraft programmes.”
It is almost exactly 25 years since Hispano-Suiza became a risk-and-revenue sharing partner on the Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engine, which today is the market leader on the Airbus A330. Under that agreement, Hispano-Suiza supplies the gearbox module and related transmission equipment.
The relationship on the Trent programme was strengthened in 2008, when Hispano-Suiza joined the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB programme in which Rolls-Royce is the sole engine supplier for the Airbus A350 family of aircraft. Hispano-Suiza was selected to supply the ADT transmission system on the Trent XWB-84, the engine for the Airbus A350-900.
Earlier this year, the two companies signed a further contract under which Hispano-Suiza now supplies the accessory drive train and oil tank for the Trent XWB-97, the 97,000lb thrust engine which is the power plant for the Airbus A350-1000, A350-900R (ultra long range) and A350-900F (freighter) aircraft. The first run of this engine also took place in July. Flight testing of the engine for the A350-1000 is due to begin in 2016, with entry into service due in 2017.
Norbert Arndt, Rolls-Royce Executive Vice President, Structures and Transmissions, said: “With each parent company contributing its world-class skills to this joint venture, we have taken a major step forward in performance. Our aim is to meet the requirements of our customers, both aircraft makers and airlines, by giving them outstanding, cost-competitive products.”
Martin Brodie had a career of nearly 30 years in aerospace with Rolls-Royce plc, where he held senior positions in the Corporate Communications team, covering military and civil aerospace, and in the headquarters office in London. Before joining Rolls-Royce, Martin spent a decade as a journalist wit
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