Page 49 - SAMENA Trends - December 2020

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Abu Dhabi's Strata Seeks More Satellite Manufacturing Contracts as It Taps

into Space Sector

Abu Dhabi's Strata, the manufacturer of
composite plane parts, is seeking new
space work packages in the UAE and
abroad to produce satellite parts, in a
move to further diversify its business at a
time of uncertainty for global aviation. The
company, owned by Mubadala Investment
Company, is in talks with European
satellite manufacturers on 3D printing and
producing some components in the UAE,
Ismail Abdulla, chief executive of Strata,
told The National on Tuesday. Strata is
also in discussions with the Mohammed
Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) for
additional projects after an agreement to
make parts for the MBZ-Sat. "Our space
ambitions are to be a local manufacturer we start manufacturing in the UAE," he the work on time," Mr. Abdulla said during
of space systems in the UAE and for other said. Mr. Abdulla insisted that aerospace the conference. "Now we celebrate the
entities in the world," he said. "The major is still an important part of Strata's plans. production of the 787-vertical fin during
aim is to localize space manufacturing, The distribution of Covid-19 vaccines the most difficult time for the industry."
that's a step up for us in this market, on a global scale will boost passengers' Some 50 engineers and technicians are
and to diversify work packages." Strata's confidence in air travel, he said. "It will send working on the 787 vertical fin production
pivot into the space supply chain is part the right signal for people who didn’t want line and, once production ramps up,
of Abu Dhabi's focus on high-technology to travel because of Covid-19, it will give this will increase to 75 workers by the
manufacturing and the UAE's wider space them the courage and comfort to take the end of 2022. Strata Plus, the company's
ambitions. The move also underscores vaccine and travel," he said. Given the lag expanded manufacturing plant in Al Ain
the company's efforts to diversify its time after the aviation industry recovers, that assembles the 787 vertical fins,
operations following an earlier foray to it could take about two to four years for will also see robots working on the shop
produce personal protective equipment aircraft orders to pick up, he said. Next floor in future. Among Strata's research
(PPE). This comes as the Covid-19 year will be "busy" for Strata, when it hopes and development plans with Boeing, one
pandemic plunged the global aviation to finalize aerostructures and space deals project will be to introduce robotic drilling
industry into its worse crisis but also as it engages with several companies, he in vertical fin production, Mr. Abdulla said.
drove demand for PPE. Strata's venture said. "2021 will be a solid year for Strata, Challenges of completing production
as a satellite parts maker builds on its the discussions we are having now are very during the pandemic included the logistics
aerospace experience as a supplier for the positive and lots of entities are engaging of sending Strata employees for training in
world's biggest planemakers Boeing and with us to introduce in-country value," Boeing's facilities in the US and applying
Airbus, Mr. Abdulla said. Its diversification Mr. Abdulla said. In terms of financing strict health and safety regulations in its Al
into space is linked with the UAE's own requirements, Strata has secured loans Ain plant. "When it came to the production
plans to localize space manufacturing from local banks for working capital this line, the curveball with the pandemic was
and the country's ambitious space plans. year and the next, he said, declining to historic," Mr. Abdulla said. Strata signed
"We have the infrastructure, the footprint provide details. The executive described the contract with Boeing for production of
and some knowledge to build on so we his outlook for 2021 as "challenging but the 787 vertical fins in 2016 during the UK's
want part of that story," Mr. Abdulla said. optimistic". The comments came after Farnborough airshow. The vertical fin will
The executive said the company's plans to Strata said it delivered its first Boeing 787 be installed on 787 fuselages at Boeing’s
diversify into health-tech are progressing vertical fin – a component that provides North Charleston facility in South Carolina
with the setup of a steering committee stability to the aircraft – to the Chicago- starting in early 2021. To date, Strata has
composed of Mubadala's healthcare unit, based planemaker. The delivery, made on begun assembly of an additional five 787
Strata and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to December 2, marks the first 787 vertical vertical fin shipsets, it said in a statement
identify products in high demand that can fin fully assembled outside of Boeing's US on Tuesday. As part of Strata's 10-year
be made locally. "Pace-makers are highly facilities, Mr. Abdulla told an online press partnership with Boeing, the UAE supplier
demanded, based on these discussions, briefing. "With the Covid-19 pandemic, we also makes 777 empennage ribs, 787
and we're looking at opportunities for faced some complications and challenges, vertical fin ribs and composite empennage
partners to bring in their expertise and but the team was able to deliver and finish ribs for Boeing’s new 777X airplane.

49 DECEMBER 2020