New step forward in Vietnam's aviation supply chain

According to Airbus, Vietnam's aviation supply chain has just made a breakthrough with the project to produce wing-mounted emergency exit doors for the A321neo - the world's best-selling narrow-body aircraft. These emergency exit doors are being produced in Hanoi by MHI Vietnam Company - a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Japan.

Ms. Hoang Tri Mai, General Director of Airbus Vietnam, along with leaders and experts of Airbus and MHI Vietnam at the product handover ceremony at MHI Vietnam factory.

The first products manufactured in Vietnam will soon be delivered and shipped to Airbus factories in Germany for assembly onto the aircraft fuselage. The wing-mounted emergency exits installed on the A321neo are for emergency use only and are equipped with an automatic opening function in cases where rapid evacuation is required.

MHI Vietnam factory uses the latest 3D Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software in the production of aircraft emergency exit doors, made from corrosion-resistant steel, titanium and aluminum. This software helps streamline the production process by eliminating traditional 2D design changes, optimizing the entire production process.

After the contract between Airbus Group and MHI Group was signed in 2023, Airbus sent experts from France and Germany to Vietnam to work closely with MHI, and at the same time directly guide and train Vietnamese human resources.

By bringing production to Vietnam, Airbus not only enhances the group’s production capacity but also ensures flexibility in the global supply chain, helping to reduce lead times and increase production capacity of the world’s best-selling A320 aircraft. In addition, this strategic move by Airbus also contributes to the development of Vietnam’s economy through creating highly skilled jobs and developing skills for workers.

Ms. Hoang Tri Mai, General Director of Airbus Vietnam, said: “The implementation of this production project in Vietnam demonstrates Airbus’s commitment to working with partners to develop the domestic aviation industry. Vietnamese human resources focus on quality and have enough skills to meet our expectations, as well as contribute to Airbus’s global supply chain. We are very pleased that more and more spare parts and products made in Vietnam are being assembled on Airbus aircraft, accompanying airlines flying around the world.”

Mr. Go Fujikawa, General Director of MHI Commercial Aviation Systems, said that MHI highly appreciated the importance of the event of MHI factory in Vietnam handing over the emergency exit door of the A321 aircraft to Airbus. This success marked the beginning of the production of new aircraft fuselage in Vietnam, affirming the important position of Vietnam in the rapidly growing aviation market in Asia.

This project will contribute to the development and regional competitiveness of the Vietnamese economy through enhancing the technical capacity of the Vietnamese workforce.

The A321neo is the largest version of Airbus' best-selling A320neo family, offering exceptional range and performance. To date, more than 90 customers worldwide have ordered more than 6,400 A321neo aircraft.

The latest production project with MHI Vietnam continues Airbus’ industrial collaborations in the Vietnamese market, currently creating jobs for around 1,500 local workers. Current Airbus suppliers include Artus and Nikkiso Vietnam.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/buoc-tien-moi-trong-chuoi-cung-ung-hang-khong-cua-viet-nam-343020.html