Airbus Extends Titanium Partnership With Russia's VSMPO-Avisma

Airbus and Russian titanium group VSMPO-Avisma have extended their 20-year partnership with the signing of a new memorandum of understanding on the first day of the Maks airshow in Moscow. The August 27 agreement calls for an extended collaboration covering the development, processing and recycling of titanium for all Airbus airliners.

The partners have set up a joint working group to focus on the development of new alloys and improve manufacturing processes.

They have also contracted machining specialist Aerospace Dynamics Inc to upgrade VSMPO’s production facilities to enable the company to make higher value products for Airbus.