Boeing honours Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group
The UK-based company was one of 15 businesses and one university to receive a Supplier of the Year award, presented during an annual ceremony in Chicago.
“I am delighted to be able to congratulate Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group on this award for their high-quality performance on the Boeing P-8 maritime patrol aircraft,” said Sir Roger Bone, president of Boeing in the UK. “Marshall is one of the historic names in the UK aerospace industry and a long-term partner of Boeing, so I am particularly pleased that they have been recognised.”
Boeing has more than 250 organisations in its UK supply chain and spent $1.6 billion (£953 million) with them in 2013. Boeing’s long history of partnership with the UK, which celebrated 75 years in 2013, supports a total of 55,700 jobs across the country.
“We are thrilled to have won this prestigious award – it recognises the dedication, determination and focus on delivering on our promises,” said Steve Fitz-Gerald, Chief Executive of Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group. “For over a century we have consistently put our customers first, and this emphasis will continue.
“Working in the true spirit of partnership with Boeing, we have delivered outstanding levels of engineering excellence to support the most advanced maritime patrol aircraft in the world - this is something that we are all truly proud of.”
The P-8, a weaponised military derivative of the Boeing Next-Generation 737-800, is the most advanced anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare aircraft in the world. It is a true multi-mission aircraft that provides long-range maritime reconnaissance capabilities. The aircraft's speed, reliability, persistence and room for growth allow it to satisfy any customer's current and future requirements. P-8 aircraft feature an open system architecture, advanced sensor and display technologies, and a worldwide base of suppliers, parts and support equipment. Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group supplies auxiliary fuel tanks to the programme.
Michael Fallon, Minister of State for Business said: "I am delighted that Marshall’s performance as a UK supplier to Boeing has been recognised with this extremely prestigious award. Companies like Boeing set demanding standards for their supply chains and I congratulate Marshall on this success, which I know results from a huge amount of effort and hard work. It's a great example of a successful supply chain relationship.”
Jack House, leader of Boeing’s Supplier Management function, said: “These supplier partners are critical to helping Boeing provide our customers the most affordable, highest quality products and services possible. Boeing must have a global supply chain that is capable of recognising and reducing risk, while demonstrating a strong commitment to customer service and consistent performance excellence.”
Boeing employs around 1,500 people across the UK at numerous sites, from Glasgow to Gosport, and the company is experiencing solid organic growth. In 2013 Boeing celebrated 75 years of partnership with the United Kingdom, the Armed Forces, British manufacturing and the air transport industry. Today the UK remains a critically important market, supplier base and a source of some of the world’s most inventive technology partners.
Boeing’s expenditure with the UK aerospace industry has averaged over $1 billion per year during the past decade and the company’s activities worldwide support more than 55,000 UK jobs, in the process enhancing skills, facilitating exports and generating intellectual property.
