Saab has seized on "difficulties" with a major supplier for the Boeing 787 as it looks to increase its own presence on the commercial widebody programme.
In a public briefing presented on 10 May, Washington DC-based subsidiary Saab North America listed the composite passenger doors of the 787 as one of several key growth opportunities.
Saab currently supplies only the cargo doors on the 787 programme. The passenger doors are currently produced by Latécoère, of France.
Dan-Åke Enstedt, chief executive officer of Saab North America, cited "difficulties" with the current supplier for driving his company's interest in the 787 passenger door business.
Enstedt's comments come nearly five months after Latécoère signed an agreement to "secure the overall financials" of its role supplying passenger doors to Boeing.
"Since programme inception, our teams have worked diligently to satisfy our client's requirements on 787 passenger doors development and production," Latécoère chief executive officer François Bertrand said in a statement issued on 27 January.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
