Airbus Helicopters Boosts Asia-Pacific Parts Availability

Airbus Helicopters officially opened its Asia-Pacific regional logistics hub in Singapore last week. The manufacturer said the facility will bolster its supply chain with parts for rotorcraft operated by customers in 21 countries in the region.

The 21,500-sq-ft facility has four loading bays and accommodates more than 20,000 part numbers. Initially, Airbus stocked the hub with €10 million ($11.9 million) worth of parts. The company plans to double this inventory as it achieves full operational capacity.

Its Singapore hub is equipped with four vertical lift modules that support an automated, high-density storage system. According to Airbus, the new technology makes best use of the available floor space and accelerates the retrieval of components of all sizes.

The facility also incorporates a 592-sq-ft elastomers room to house sensitive rubberized materials that can degrade. This unit can hold up to 2,000 critical components in a controlled temperature range between 41 and 77 deg F.

“This new regional logistics hub marks a pivotal milestone, positioning Singapore at the heart of our global support network,” said Vincent Debrule, Airbus Helicopters’ senior v-p of Asia-Pacific. “Establishing this capability here is more than expanding our footprint. It is about building a logistics supply chain that is agile. This hub represents a long-term investment in our customers’ mission success, delivering faster, reliable, and predictable support across Asia-Pacific well into the future.”