Russia Cuts Titanium Supply, Boeing and Airbus Hit Hard

 

As a result of attacking Ukraine, Russia received sanctions from various US allies such as France and Britain. Russia was not silent, the country nicknamed the Red Bear threatened to stop shipments of titanium to aircraft industrial companies such as Boeing and Airbus.

 

As reported by Flightglobal, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought uncertainty to Western aerospace companies, many of which rely on Russia to provide some of it. Most of the titanium components are used to manufacture commercial aircraft and engines.

 

In the titanium market, Russia’s VSMPO-Avisma is the world’s largest player, supplying critical components in the world’s commercial aircraft manufacturing chain.

 

Airbus and Boeing, and many others in the wider supply chain, rely on the Russian company’s imports of titanium. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, US President Joe Biden said that a series of sanctions would reduce the capability of the Russian aerospace industry. But Biden may have forgotten that the economic wars being waged could also hurt the Western aerospace sector, especially if Russia’s titanium supplies are cut short.

 

 “If that supply from Russia goes away it’s going to be a big problem,” said Kevin Michaels, managing director of aerospace consultancy AeroDynamic Advisory.

VSMPO-Avisma is said to supply about 35-40 percent of the titanium used by Boeing, at least half of Airbus’ needs and most of Embraer’s.

 

Source suara.com