HAMPSON HITS MILESTONES ON $53 MILLION DEAL
MANUFACTURING Aerostructures supplier Hampson Industries "experienced an improved final trading quarter" in the three months to 31 March, it says in a trading update. The firm has made "significant progress" on a $53 million tooling contract - its largest deal - with manufacturing milestones achieved on time and to budget. Revenue and profit for the full year are expected to be ahead of the company's most recent expectations, it adds.
US DEFENCE BUDGET BOOST FOR ULTRA
SYSTEMS UK-based Ultra Electronics says that despite a worldwide slowdown in defence spending, it still sees a sufficiently large number of contracts available to "give the group further room for growth". In an interim management statement it singles out the recently ratified US defence budget, which, it says, "should unblock delayed contract awards" over the coming months. Recent acquisitions AMI and 3eTI are trading in line with expectations, it adds.
UNION COMPLAINT DISMISSED BY BOEING
WORKFORCE Boeing says it will "vigorously contest" a complaint to the US National Labor Relations Board by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace workers over its 2009 decision to open a manufacturing plant in Charleston, South Carolina. The challenge seeks to force the airframer to place its second 787 Dreamliner line at Puget Sound. Boeing describes the claim as "legally frivolous".
ORDERS AND REVENUES UP AT MEGGITT
SUPPLIERS Meggitt says that order intake and revenues grew by 15% and 12% respectively during the first quarter of 2011 against the same period in 2010. Its interim management statement says that it achieved double-digit growth across all segments. The acquisition of Pacific Scientific Aerospace, announced in January, is proceeding as planned and is to be completed in the coming weeks.
SKYNET ASIA SEALS WHEELS DEAL WITH GOODRICH
AIRLINES Japanese carrier Skynet Asia Airways has chosen Goodrich to supply wheels and carbon brakes for its new fleet of 13 Boeing 737-800s. Deliveries are expected to begin in June and continue up to 2016. Meanwhile, Goodrich says that sales in the first quarter grew by 12% to $1.8 billion, compared with the same period last year.
SOLID GROWTH FOR ROCKWELL COLLINS
AVIONICS Avionics giant Rockwell Collins has posted 11.7% growth in pre-tax profit from $196 million to $219 million for the fiscal second quarter ended 31 March 2011 against the same period in 2010. Total sales in the second quarter grew 7% to $1.22 billion from $1.14 billion for the same period a year ago. Government sector sales were up 3.32% to $716 million from $693 million in 2010, while sales in the company's commercial sector stood at $507 million, up 13% from $449 million in the corresponding period the previous year.
ZODIAC BOOSTS REVENUES AND PROFITS
INTERIORS French equipment supplier Zodiac Aerospace has posted a revenues increase of 35.6% to €1.31 billion ($1.86 billion) for the six months to February, with organic growth at 17.5%. This, combined with cost savings, says the company, led to a rise in operating income of 141% to €184.2 million.
Source: Flight International
