Europe’s Aerostructures Business A Chinese Take Away? Could Be…
With most of the aerospace industry already glancing over its shoulder at China, Saab Aerostructures' Mats Palmberg wonders if his sector of the business might have more to worry about than others. “In the future, especially when it comes to aerostructures, China is the big ‘threat’ as its engineering skills will meet our levels. It will take a few years more, maybe 15 years, but it will happen — and when you add that to their cheaper labor you have to ask why a customer would ever work with a European (aerostructures) supplier when they can have all the positives of China? The answer is, I really don’t know. If China wants to, it can take over. Right now we are sending them wood, cotton, raw materials and they are sending back electronics. The positions have been completely reversed. We have a technology lead at the moment, sure, but give it a few years. They are putting people into space. Work it out for yourself.”
