Once-Westland, Now GKNAS Plans to Expand to Bizjet Work in St. Louis

GKNAS? It's the new (since June) name for GKN Westland Aerospace. Last year Italy's Agusta pooled its helicopter assets with Westland's in a joint venture company to form AgustaWestland, leaving Westland's aerostructures business with GKN as GKNAS. Keeping up to date with company name changes and business reorganizations gets harder every day. Who remembers who owns what anymore?

The St. Louis plant is currently a totally military-based operation dedicated primarily to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and C-17 transport. GKNAS will continue to work on these programs under its agreement with Boeing, which includes long-term contracts dependent on continued quality/cost performance. Revenue from the deal is estimated at $1.8 billion over the first five years, and $300 million in 2001.

The two companies have also signed an agreement for GKNAS to become a core strategic supplier to Boeing's military aircraft and missile system groups.

However, GKNAS plans to start introducing more business jet and commercial aviation work at St. Louis. A spokesman told Show News that the company expects later this year to be assembling engine nacelles for Bombardier's Continental business jet there.

GKNAS has two other facilities in the U.S.--one in San Diego, CA, specializing in engine and airframe fabrications, and one at Tallahassee, AL, manufacturing composite components and assemblies.

The company's biggest site is on the Isle of Wight, off England's southern coast, where it produces engine nacelles and composite structures. This plant has recently delivered nacelles to Bombardier and BAE Systems Regional Aircraft Ltd. for the Honeywell AS907 turbofans aboard the Continental and the AS977s on the Avro RJX regional Airliner.

GKNAS's Isle of Wight facility also supplies nacelles for the AlliedSignal TFE731 turbofans which power the Falcon 50EX and the Gulfstream 100 (formerly Galaxy Aerospace Astra SPX), and manufactures the horizontal tail unit, pannier tanks, pylons and other parts for the Avro RJX.

Another UK plant at Luton, north of London, produces coated aircraft canopies and transparencies, as well as electrothermal ice protection systems, while the GKNAS facility at Portsmouth, in the south of England, makes fuel cells and systems and helicopter flotation equipment.

On mainland Europe the company has a factory in Munich, Germany, producing large composite structures.

Currently, 45% of GKNAS's work is in the civil sector, with defense customers making up the balance. Following the restructuring, GKNAS first full year's trading in 2001 is expected to generate revenues of approximately $798 million.

-Mike Vines