Aircraft aluminium extrusions

Citation

(2000), "Aircraft aluminium extrusions", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 72 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2000.12772cad.011

Aircraft aluminium extrusions

Keywords TW Metals, Aluminium, Maintenance

Aerospace metals distributor, TW Metals based in Southampton, has announced that it now has stocks of aluminium extrusions for servicing, maintenance and repair of commercial passenger and cargo aircraft.

It follows the acquisition by TW Metals of TD Materials Inc., one of the world's largest distributors of aircraft aluminium extrusions and profiles. The new stocks are aimed particularly at maintenance contractors servicing the predominantly Boeing fleets operated by many airlines including British Airways, KLM, SAS and Braathens.

Seen as only the first stage in providing a comprehensive, European source for a much wider range of standard and special aluminium extrusions, TW Metals is able to call on TD Materials' back-up stocks in the USA. This gives access to over 35,000 extrusion designs and over 2,000 tonnes of off-the-shelf extrusions, specified by European and US aircraft manufacturers.

TW Metals can supply extrusions cut to length or drilled in small quantities up to ongoing and regular supplies as part of JIT and materials management programmes. All products are quality assured to meet national and international commercial and military standards.

Phil Stone, who heads the extrusions development team at TW Metals, says, "The availability of aluminium extrusions from stock brings an additional and important product to our customers specialising in aircraft maintenance and repair. It also ensures TW Metals' role as a leading supplier of metals to the European aerospace industry."

TD Materials informs us that it has an extensive database which cross-references aircraft manufacturers' extrusion and profile designs with extrusion mill designs. It can determine usage throughout the industry and supply both off-the-shelf and custom ordered material.

Details available from: TW Metals Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 23 8073 9333; Fax: +44 (0) 23 8073 9601.