Boeing reaches long-term supply deal with Alcoa

By Dan Catchpole

The Boeing Co. has a new long-term supply agreement with Alcoa, the aluminum producer announced Thursday.

It is the fourth Boeing contract Alcoa recently has won. In the last 12 months, the company has secured $10 billion in aerospace contracts.

Alcoa will provide materials for the 777X, 737 MAX and 787 programs. The company landed the deal, in part, due to its 2014 purchase of jet engine component supplier Firth Rixson, and its new aluminum-lithium plant in Lafayette, Indiana, Alcoa CEO Klaus Kleinfeld said in a news release. “This is the latest in a series of Boeing contract wins made possible by Alcoa’s recent aerospace investments.”

The metal maker’s Forgings and Extrusions unit is handling the latest contract. Here are the components listed on Alcoa’s website:

• 737 MAX: Titanium landing gear parts and titanium nacelle fittings made with presses included in the Firth Rixson acquisition.

• 777X: Cargo floor beams made from a lithium-aluminum alloy at Alcoa’s Lafayette plant, called the Casting House. The parts cut weight and are more resistant to corrosion.

• Machining: Parts to improve efficiency and cut costs for Boeing’s in-house machining.

In December, Alcoa and Boeing signed a multi-year contract for fastening systems and titanium seat track assemblies. In September 2014, the aluminum producer announced a deal with Boeing that made Alcoa the sole supplier for wing skins for all Boeing airplanes with metal structures.

Dan Catchpole: 425-339-3454; dcatchpole@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @dcatchpole.

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