Billy Kingsbury, CEO at thyssenkrupp Materials UK explains how the company handles the aerospace manufacturing sector’s materials requirements with the utmost care.

With a global network spanning over 30 sites across 20 countries, thyssenkrupp Aerospace serves the world’s biggest aerospace and defence manufacturers, numbering over 3,500 customers and their extensive subcontractor networks.

In the UK, the business has an expert knowledge and years of experience in supporting the aerospace & defence industry. The company stocks and supplies a vast range of materials, including aluminium, steel and titanium in all forms from plate, sheet, bar and tube. It provides world class in-house capabilities offering technical services such as material cutting and machining to developments in automation, supply chain management, and 3PL/4PL solutions.

Q) Firstly, please bring me up to speed with your latest news regarding new equipment purchases and facility upgrades.

In the UK, we have seen a great increase in demand of materials, with the signing of several contract extensions with leading Tier 1 manufacturers and OEMs as well as the introduction of new customers to strategic supply chain management. Based on these, the business has recently invested in a new 5-axis waterjet cutting machine to support the increased operations at the site in Darton, South Yorkshire. Additionally, we have witnessed an increased demand in the aerospace industry in India, and therefore, made strategic investments in expanding key facilities, such as warehousing, at our site in India, which is also part of the UK business unit. This further optimises our operations and helps us meet the evolving needs and demands of the growing aerospace and defence customers.

Furthermore, we have introduced industry-first digital solutions at our five sites in the UK, aimed at assisting quality and traceability, demand forecasting, and supply chain management. These innovative solutions leverage cutting-edge technology to provide clients and the business internally with valuable insights and efficiencies, further solidifying our position as a leader in the industry.

Q) What types of supply chain demands are placed on you by your aerospace customers and how are you evolving to keep pace with them?

The aerospace industry demands the highest level of precision, reliability, and agility from its supply chain partners. We recognise these requirements and continually evolve to meet them, going beyond price, quality, and delivery considerations. Material certification and traceability are paramount, with customers requiring full visibility into the sourcing and handling of materials.

thyssenkrupp Aerospace ensures compliance with all industry and OEM standards, providing comprehensive documentation including all mill certifications to guarantee material authenticity and quality. We remain at the forefront of innovation, as we invest in new technologies and capabilities to meet the evolving material demands of our customers, offering a diverse range from speciality materials and alloys to semi-finished parts. We supply aluminium, steel, titanium and nickel-based alloys but also speciality materials, such as aluminium lithium. This product is supplied from our site in Northern Ireland where the team also provides oiling service for oxidation prevention. This meticulous step eliminates oxidation, preserving material integrity and longevity, a crucial factor in aerospace operations where reliability and demand management are paramount. The product is then supplied as an extrusion for structural and seating assemblies.

Furthermore, GLOCAL capability is essential in the aerospace and defence industry, and thyssenkrupp Aerospace's extensive global presence, coupled with localised approach and services, ensures proximity to customers while maintaining a global reach. Our comprehensive 3PL and 4PL solutions, including the Control Tower solution for supply chain management, enable efficient material flows and agile response to changing and increasing demands.

A control tower is an essential tool for understanding risk and building resilience into the supply chain. Creating scenarios and running simulations in a digital replica of supply chain assets and processes can provide invaluable data about performance and potential risks. At thyssenkrupp Aerospace, our specialist team of experts design, manage and operate control tower solutions with the customers to analyse the performance of the supply chain under certain scenarios. These simulations can detect points where disruptions are possible and where improvements could be made by adding different plans or tools. This value-added service helps aerospace manufacturers to plan for potential problems within the supply chain and improve its overall structure, ultimately increasing reliability, performance and efficiency. It is an essential step towards building supply chain resilience.

Logistical operations, particularly metal supplies, can take up a lot of resources and time. Outsourcing these operations to a 3PL service provider therefore comes with many benefits for an aerospace business. It requires a large team to handle everything from processing to packaging and delivering the orders to the customers. The process also requires close monitoring and management, which can make or break the business. By working with thyssenkrupp Aerospace, manufacturers stand to gain from years of experience and a wide range of production and logistics processes. With an instant access to a large, global team with extensive experience in supply chain management, we can help supply chains move smoothly, so aerospace manufacturers can focus on the core aspects. Recent recognition highlights the exceptional performance in material supply and logistics at our sites in the UK, with accolades placing us among the top five 3PL providers in the country.

Q) Finally, what differentiates your company from the competition - why should a customer use you over your nearest rival?

We are at the forefront of innovation in the aerospace industry, continually developing and offering cutting-edge digital solutions to meet the evolving needs of our customers. This includes collaborating with other thyssenkrupp Materials Services ventures like pacemaker, an AI based demand forecasting solution, and Forward Sensing, an end-to-end data collaboration platform, to revolutionise demand forecasting.

Demand forecasting is a critical aspect of supply chain management, particularly in the aerospace sector where precision and efficiency are paramount, and the demand and material lead-times are increasing. Through strategic partnerships with technology innovators such as pacemaker and Forward Sensing, thyssenkrupp Aerospace utilises advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence to enhance forecasting accuracy and responsiveness.

Renowned for its expertise in predictive analytics - pacemaker provides thyssenkrupp Aerospace with sophisticated algorithms and modelling capabilities. These tools leverage historical data, market trends, and other relevant factors to generate highly accurate demand forecasts. By analysing vast amounts of data in real-time, pacemaker's solutions enable thyssenkrupp Aerospace to anticipate customer needs more effectively and optimise inventory management.

Forward Sensing, on the other hand, specialises in sensor technologies and IoT solutions. By integrating sensor data from various points in the supply chain, Forward Sensing supports thyssenkrupp Aerospace with gaining real-time insights into demand fluctuations and supply chain dynamics. This proactive approach allows us to identify potential bottlenecks or disruptions early on and implement timely interventions to mitigate risks and maintain operational continuity.

Furthermore, we are committed to continuous improvement and innovation in our digital solutions, firmly believing that it’s the future for the complex aerospace industry. We invest in digital development to enhance existing tools and explore new technologies that further streamline supply chain processes and drive efficiency gains.

www.thyssenkrupp-aerospace.com