Aircraft

US structural materials firm Hexcel has won a contract to supply carbon fibre composite materials for major primary structures of the Airbus A350 XWB.

The award covers the entire family of A350 XWB aircraft through 2025, and is expected to generate revenues of $4 billion to $5 billion over the life of the contract.

“In the coming months, as the A350 XWB design is finalized, Hexcel and Airbus have agreed to complete the final specification and qualification of Hexcel’s materials for the selected primary structures,” says Hexcel in a statement.

Airbus expects to finalise the A350 XWB’s “aero-lines” in July as it heads for the detail definition freeze of the baseline -900 version at the end of the year.

Stamford, Connecticut-based Hexcel says it is offering other composite products for consideration for use in secondary structures and interiors for the A350 XWB, such as fabrics, resins, prepregs, adhesives, honeycombs and moulded parts.

These “could be a source of significant additional revenues associated with the program”, adds the company.

Source: flightglobal.com's sister premium news site Air Transport Intelligence news