West Midlands aerospace company Mettis has expanded its European marketplace after landing a multi-million pound contract with Airbus.
Mettis, based in Redditch, has won a £10 million order to supply forged aero-structure components to Airbus Military for its new A400-M military transport.
Archie MacPherson, manager director of Mettis, said: "The aerospace market is very buoyant, although the challenges of the global market make winning new programmes a tough proposition.
"We are delighted to have secured this contract with Airbus and look forward to developing our relationship further."
The Airbus Military contract is the latest in a number of successful new business wins for Mettis and gives the firm yet another high profile new programme.
Apart from Airbus, Mettis supplies components to Boeing, General Electric and Derby-based Rolls-Royce and is well positioned on key programmes such as the A380 superjumbo and the Joint Strike Fighter project.
The company is also in a strong position on new programmes such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A350 and Rolls-Royce Trent 1000.
Mettis plans to further develop its skills base with the recruitment of new apprentices.
The firm is offering former MG Rover apprentices the opportunity to transfer their existing skills into the aerospace sector.
Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce will be hoping to land more work on the Dreamliner.
Last week Northwest Airlines selected Trent 1000 engines for its new fleet of Dreamliners. The order is potentially worth up to £1.12 billion to Rolls-Royce and includes a long-term maintenance agreement.
Northwest will be the first North American-based airline to introduce the Boeing 787 into commercial service. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in August 2008.
Boeing yesterday said it had landed a huge order for 42 787 jets worth more than £2.82 billion from four Chinese airlines.
Hong Kong-listed Air China will buy 15 Dreamliners, China Eastern Airlines will also buy 15, Shanghai Airlines will take nine and Xiamen Airlines will buy another three airplanes.
Boeing said in a statement: "The signing is a major step forward in bringing the revolutionary 787 Dreamliner airplanes to China.
"It marks a new era of Boeing-China co-operation - reinforcing Boeing as the long-term aviation partner of China.
"Boeing continues to work to reach an agreement for 18 additional 787s, which are part of the previously announced commitment by China."
Shanghai Airlines said it expects to gradually take delivery of the 787s over five years, beginning in 2008. Over the next two decades, Airbus sees potential sales to China of some 1,600 aircraft, while Boeing, which currently has a 62 per cent market share in China, predicts more than 2,000.
