Aerospace Fastener Sales Soar

Jason Sandefur

Strong demand for aerospace fasteners helped the industry offset the continued domestic auto market slump in 2006.
Precision Castparts, Alcoa, TriMas and other companies with aerospace products realized solid profits from the blistering global demand to supply new commercial aircraft.
A worldwide shortage of aerospace fasteners has slowed production of Boeing”s 787 “Dreamliner” jet.
“The fastener industry is stretched tighter than a rubber band because every airplane program is at their peak rate or headed toward their peak rate,” Mike Bair of Boeing told The Australian. “So, you know, we”re feeding the production system hand to mouth with both, but again, it”s not something that we haven”t seen in the past.”
During 2006 the global airline industry expanded airline capacity by approximately 4.6% in response to an approximate 5.9% increase in global air traffic, according to the International Air Transport Association.
The approximate number of deliveries of new large commercial aircraft is expected to grow about 13% to 925 in 2007, the Airline Monitor reported. Double-digit growth is forecasted to continue through 2010. \
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