Boeing’s commitment to Australia, Kopsie said. “We’ve been able to demonstrate our engage-ment as a trusted local partner for not only defense but also commercial programs and areas of technology research,” said Dean Webb, program manager for the Office of Australian Industry Capability. When Boeing’s Australia team examined the supplier network there for opportunities, Webb explained, they found a notable inefficiency. There was no Boeing-certified supplier in the country that specialized in the chemical surface treatment of aircraft parts—a process that treats the metal surface to chemically enhance their performance capability. So parts had to be shipped from Australia to the United States for treatment, then shipped back to the supplier in Australia for completion. The completed parts would be shipped to the United States a second time. Electromold had the chemical treatment capability, but it was not certified by Boeing. Starting in 2011, the Australian company worked directly with the Office of Australian Industry Capability to streamline its operations and then pass an exhaustive approval process. Today, Electromold has multiple contracts from Boeing’s direct suppliers, and is processing commercial and defense parts that go into Boeing products such as the 787 Dreamliner, V-22 Osprey and F/A-18 Super Hornet. And the company is getting noticed locally for being a valuable link in Boeing’s supply chain— recognition that highlights Boeing’s commitment to being a good local partner. Harvey, Electromold’s chief executive officer, recently spoke with a reporter for a local newspaper about the work his company is doing for Boeing suppliers. “If you are sitting in a Boeing 737 and look out at the wings and see the flaps, then we have worked on the hinge that works that flap,” he said, adding: “We have parts that hold bombs in place on the most advanced defense aircraft.” While not every company the International Stra-tegic Partnerships team works with will become a direct or indirect Boeing supplier, building relationships within the larger supply network has been critical, according to Kopsie. “Moving beyond the perceived traditional supplier relationships,” Kopsie said, “Boeing continues to leverage our partnerships to find the next innovative technology.” n jaimie.m.carde@boeing.com PHOTOS: (Insets, from top) A primed Boeing airframe part is ready for final inspection; a 787 component for the outboard flap. Shown in the background are 747 fittings being prepared for a surface treatment. ASSOCIATED PRESS 40 Frontiers February 2014
Frontiers February 2014 Issue
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