FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The head of the Berlin engine plant run by Mercedes-Benz has defected to rival Tesla <TSLA>, German union IG Metall said on Wednesday, calling on employees to protest over his departure.
IG Metall declined to name the head of the plant, which has been run by Rene Reif, one the most experienced manufacturing executives at Mercedes-Benz who helped expand manufacturing capacity for Daimler <DAI> in China.
Reif used to be head of engineering and manufacturing at Beijing Benz Automotive Co. Daimler’s Chinese joint venture, which has a manufacturing capacity of around 480,000 cars and started building the electric Mercedes-Benz EQC last year.
Tesla declined to comment on whether it had found a new manager for a Gigafactory being built on the outskirts of Berlin but the electric carmaker is on a global manufacturing expansion push, building or expanding new factories in Texas, Germany and China.
Last month, a source told Reuters that a Tesla manager who oversaw the construction of the electric carmaker’s Gruenheide plant, had left his position.
Daimler said on Wednesday that Reif, 57, the manager of its Mercedes-Benz Berlin plant, which makes powertrains, would go into early retirement at the end of the year, at his own request.
Mercedes-Benz Werk Berlin, Deutschland: Montage des Mercedes-Benz V6 Dieselmotor OM642
/
Mercedes-Benz Berlin Plant, Germany: Assembly of the Mercedes-Benz V6 diesel engine OM642
German unions have lamented the fact that traditional carmakers are cutting investment into combustion engine technologies as regulators clamp down on emissions and as demand for vehicles is hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
IG Metall said there would be a protest in front of the Mercedes factory on Thursday and called on Daimler to present solutions that would help to guarantee the future of the plant.
The union said Daimler managers had outlined cost savings plans and union officials fear the Berlin plant’s future is at risk.
Daimler said Clemenz Dobrawa, who currently heads up the Mercedes-Benz battery manufacturing plant in Kamenz, had taken over leadership of the Mercedes-Benz plants in Hamburg and Berlin earlier this month.
“Thanks to his activity as representative in Kamenz, he brings important know-how for the transformation toward electromobility,” Daimler said, adding the Berlin plant would be restructured to serve an ‘Electric First’ strategy.
(Reporting by Edward Taylor and Ilona Wissenbach. Editing by Jane Merriman)
Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), the joint venture created by Airbus and ST Engineering has achieved key milestones in the A321 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion programme with the delivery and entry-into-service on 2th October of the first converted aircraft to Qantas. This new P2F version is being leased by aircraft asset manager Vallair to Qantas, to operate services on behalf of Australia Post. Last month, following its flight tests, the newly completed aircraft had been delivered by EFW to Vallair.
These milestones mark the completion and ‘birth’ of the world’s first A321 converted freighter. EFW had received the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the A321P2F from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in February this year, and the Validation STC from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in July. Operator-specific enhancements were subsequently incorporated into the freighter and certified prior to its delivery from EFW to Vallair.
The A321P2F is the first in its size category to offer containerised loading in both the main (up to 14 full container positions) and lower deck (up to 10 container positions). With a generous payload-range capability that can carry 28 metric tonnes over 2,300 nautical miles, the A321P2F is the ideal Single-Aisle freighter aircraft for express domestic and regional operations. The conversion features a large main cargo door which is hydraulically actuated and electrically locked, a ‘Class-E’ main-deck cargo compartment with full rigid 9g barrier for optimal protection between crew and cargo, and a redefined flight deck that includes supernumerary seats.
The collaboration between ST Engineering, Airbus and EFW is the OEM-supported conversion for A321P2F in the market. There has been a keen interest from customers in the solution, which is expected to further grow with the first A321P2F unit entering the market. Looking further ahead, next year the story is set to take another stride when the first A320P2F will take shape.
– The highest anti-jamming and anti-spoofing PNT technology providing access and trusted data for success of critical missions
Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of Raytheon Technologies Corp. (NYSE: RTX), has been selected to provide Mounted Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing System (MAPS Gen II) for manned and unmanned ground vehicles to combat Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) threats.
MAPS II provides a high-assurance, accurate navigation solution across GPS threat environments with industry-leading NavFusion of multiple sensors and is interoperable with the Collins Aerospace PRC-162 manpack radio to ensure mission success in the Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) battlespace.
Its advanced anti-spoofing and anti-jamming technology addresses evolving enemy threats and technologies. The warfighter can navigate through high threat environments with the confidence of knowing where they are, where they need to go, at the precise time with weapons on target.
Leveraging Collins Aerospace’s NavHub™-100 navigation system and Multi-Sensor Antenna System (MSAS-100), this navigation capability distributes Assured Position, Navigation and Timing (APNT) information to all systems onboard the platform through one device. The MAPS Gen II system includes Military Code (M-Code) capability and improved levels of reliability through patented Modernized Signal Tracking (MST) that enhances GPS integrity. Additionally, the open architecture, modular, and scalable technology lets the Army add additional sensors and capability with a much lower life-cycle cost, such as alternative Radio Frequency (RF) and Line of Bearing (LOB).
“Building upon our expertise in open architecture and NavFusion, this modular, and scalable system helps the warfighter keep pace with evolving threats and technologies. They can confidently know their location and destination at the precise time with weapons on target,” said Ryan Bunge, vice president and general manager, Communication, Navigation and Guidance Solutions for Collins Aerospace.
The Luxembourg Armed Forces have taken delivery of its Airbus A400M military transport aircraft, which was accepted at the A400M Final Assembly Line in Seville (Spain) and has performed a ferry flight. It will make a first stop in Luxembourg before continuing its journey to the 15th Wing Air Transport in Melsbroek (Belgium), where the joint airlift unit between Belgium and Luxembourg will be based. With this delivery, Luxembourg becomes the seventh A400M operator.
The aircraft, known as MSN104, will be operated by the Luxembourg Armed Forces and Belgium within a binational unit, together with the seven A400M ordered by Belgium, which is due to receive its first aircraft in the coming weeks.
Alberto Gutierrez, Head of Military Aircraft at Airbus Defence and Space, said: “I welcome Luxembourg to the growing A400M user community. With 94 aircraft in service, the A400M is increasingly becoming the air mobility backbone of our customers, both in civil and military environments, as seen in recent COVID-19 crisis missions around the globe.”
The A400M recently achieved additional capabilities such as simultaneous paratrooper dispatch for a maximum of 116 paratroopers using the side doors, automatic low level flight in visual meteorological conditions (the only military transport aircraft with this capability), and aerial delivery and combat off-load that allows a single 16-tonne load to be dropped automatically via parachute extraction. In addition, 25 tonnes can be gravity dropped and the manual combat offload of up to 19 tonnes on pallets (one pass) or 25 tonnes (two passes) on an unpaved runway is possible, which is unprecedented. With regards to helicopter air-to-air refuelling operations, the A400M recently achieved the first successful wet contacts with a H225M helicopter.
Rolls-Royce’s business unit Power Systems and Shanghai Cooltech Power Co. Ltd. have agreed to form MTU Cooltech Power Systems: The 50/50 joint venture will produce backup generator sets powered by MTU engines in China. In the picture: Generator set with a 20V 4000 MTU engine.
Der Geschäftsbereich Power Systems von Rolls-Royce und Shanghai Cooltech Power Co. Ltd. haben gemeinsam MTU Cooltech Power Systems gegründet. Das 50/50-Joint Venture wird Notstromaggregate mit MTU-Motoren in China produzieren. Im Bild: Aggregat auf Basis eines 20V-4000-MTU-Motors.
Rolls-Royce’s business unit Power Systems and Shanghai Cooltech Power Co. Ltd., a leading Chinese manufacturer of power generation systems, have made a significant step forward together to strengthen their market position by forming a 50/50 joint venture. MTU Cooltech Power Systems will produce backup generator sets powered by MTU Series 1600, 2000 and 4000 engines for applications including but not limited to hospitals, airports, mining, semiconductors, telecoms and the rapidly growing data centre market, which has recently received a significant boost from the Chinese government’s newly announced New Infrastructure development plan, a programme launched by the central government to accelerate the digital transformation of the economy.
– New 50/50 joint venture established in Shanghai to serve the growing Chinese market
– Purpose is to establish a stronger position in the backup power supply market, with a focus on data centers
– Production of generator sets equipped with MTU engines to start at end of 2020
Tobias Ostermaier, President MTU Greater China, Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said: “This is an important step to further accelerate our fast-growing business in China. We pursue our growth strategy for diesel systems in China and move further towards becoming a provider of integrated power solutions in this strategically important market. We look forward to being in a position to supply our customers with world class MTU system solutions at China speed. The Chinese market presents tremendous opportunities for Power Systems’ business growth in a challenging global environment. We have an important role to play in ensuring power for China’s New Infrastructure such as telecommunications networks, servers, and data centres through our best-in-class safety-critical MTU power solutions.”
Xu Nai Qiang, President of Shanghai Cooltech Power, said: “We are proud to form the new joint venture with Rolls-Royce, which enables us to manufacture products of the highest quality for the Chinese market, and to continue and enhance the success story of our long-standing collaboration.”
Rolls-Royce and Shanghai Cooltech Power have enjoyed a close partnership since 2013. Shanghai Cooltech Power is one of the biggest customers of the Power Systems business unit in China and has already installed nearly 1,000 MTU engines in backup generator sets. A key focus has been the telecommunications market, which will also be a major target now for the new joint venture.
MTU Cooltech Power Systems is to have a workforce of around 50 employees when it is launched this year. The joint venture will produce a range of generator sets based on MTU engines, which are to be supplied from Germany and China. Rolls-Royce and Shanghai Cooltech Power will then market and deliver these generator sets to their Chinese customers.
Having production in China will shorten delivery times significantly. Combined with direct access to the high quality and competitively priced supply chain in China, MTU system solutions will establish a highly competitive position in the China market. “As a result, we will be in a better position to adapt our product range to market requirements and to provide our customers with local support. Irrespective of the new joint venture, we will maintain our long-standing strategic partnerships and well-established collaboration with our community of Chinese partners in the field of decentralised power supply systems, and will systematically continue and strengthen these partnerships,” said Tobias Ostermaier.
Increasing market share in China, in addition to setting up and developing partnerships, are key elements of the PS 2030 strategy with which the Rolls-Royce business unit Power Systems is currently transforming itself from an engine manufacturer to a provider of integrated solutions.
Rolls-Royce has been producing MTU engines in China since 2006 and formed joint ventures with Chinese manufacturers to continue localizing its footprint over the years. The founding of MTU Cooltech Power Systems will help accelerate its localization in China to seize business opportunities and better serve the market.
Rolls-Royce’s business unit Power Systems and Shanghai Cooltech Power Co. Ltd. have agreed to form MTU Cooltech Power Systems: The 50/50 joint venture will produce backup generator sets powered by MTU engines in China. In the picture: Generator set with a 20V 4000 MTU engine.
Der Geschäftsbereich Power Systems von Rolls-Royce und Shanghai Cooltech Power Co. Ltd. haben gemeinsam MTU Cooltech Power Systems gegründet. Das 50/50-Joint Venture wird Notstromaggregate mit MTU-Motoren in China produzieren. Im Bild: Aggregat auf Basis eines 20V-4000-MTU-Motors.
Alstom has launched the validation test campaign for the Prima T8 AZ8A freight locomotives in Azerbaijan on the main freight transit line, which has recently been converted from 3kV DC to 25kV AC.
In 2014, ADY awarded a contract to EKZ, Alstom’s joint venture with Transmashholding (TMH), for a total 50 electric locomotives, including 40 Prima T8 AZ8A heavy freight locomotives and 10 Prima M4 AZ4A passenger locomotives.
The Prima T8 AZ8A is based on the KZ8A locomotives currently in service in Kazakhstan and ADY’s specific technical requirements and is compliant with GOST[1] standards and specifications.
Alstom’s Prima T8 is one of the most powerful electric locomotives in the world. This model is a 25 tons per axle two-section freight locomotive capable of towing up to 9,000 tons and running at 120 km/h, with installed continuous power of 8.8 Megawatts. The AZ8A is designed to operate in temperatures ranging from -25°C to 50°C. It requires minimum maintenance and provides high reliability levels and low lifecycle costs thanks to its modular design.
Alstom’s Prima range is covering all market segments of locomotives from heavy-haul, freight and passenger operation and shunting or trackwork operation. Over the past 20 years, more than 3,200 Prima locomotives (more than 4,600 sections) have been sold worldwide.
Alstom is present in Western & Central Asia with more than 850 people, three country offices, four depots, repair center and two plants, EKZ in Nur-Sultan for electric locomotives manufacturing and maintenance and production of on-board transformers, and KEP in Almaty to produce point machines. Alstom is a major contributor to the revitalization of country’s mobility industry and the development of its economy.
EKZ, a joint venture between Alstom and TMH[2], employs 700 people and is working on supplying and maintaining the Prima electric locomotives ordered by KTZ, Kazakhstan’s national railway company and export markets, like Azerbaijan.
[1] GOST: Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) technical certification organisation
Morocco is the 17th country to acquire the Boeing AH-64 Apache through a contract for 24 of the helicopters that was recently signed.
Boeing has delivered nearly 2,500 Apache helicopters to 16 nations to date, including the U.S., Netherlands, Greece, United Kingdom, Japan, India, Singapore, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. Deliveries to Morocco are expected to begin in 2024.
“This is another step forward in our long partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco,” said Jeff Shockey, vice president, Global Sales and Marketing, Boeing Defense, Space & Security and Government Services. “Worldwide demand for the Apache is growing and we are proud to provide this best-in-class capability to Morocco.”
The AH-64E Apache is the latest configuration of the attack helicopter. It is designed and equipped with an open systems architecture including the latest communications, navigation, sensor and weapon systems. It has an improved Modernized Target Acquisition Designation System that provides day, night and all-weather target information, as well as night vision navigation capability. In addition to classifying ground and air targets, the Fire Control Radar has been updated to operate in a maritime environment.
Boeing will build and deliver the new Moroccan Apaches under a contract with the U.S. Army through the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales process.
Boeing’s partnership with Morocco spans decades. The company is committed to developing Morocco’s supply chain and future workforce. Boeing is a partner of the MATIS Aerospace joint venture, which produces airplane wire bundles and harnesses. In 2016, the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Kingdom to create an ecosystem of aircraft equipment suppliers. Boeing also supports the country’s future workforce through partnerships with Education for Employment (EFE) Morocco and the INJAZ Al-Maghrib association.
Boeing (NYSE: BA) announced today that it has terminated its Master Transaction Agreement (MTA) with Embraer, under which the two companies sought to establish a new level of strategic partnership. The parties had planned to create a joint venture comprising Embraer’s commercial aviation business and a second joint venture to develop new markets for the C-390 Millennium medium airlift and air mobility aircraft.
Under the MTA, April 24, 2020, was the initial termination date, subject to extension by either party if certain conditions were met. Boeing exercised its rights to terminate after Embraer did not satisfy the necessary conditions.
“Boeing has worked diligently over more than two years to finalize its transaction with Embraer. Over the past several months, we had productive but ultimately unsuccessful negotiations about unsatisfied MTA conditions. We all aimed to resolve those by the initial termination date, but it didn’t happen,” said Marc Allen, president of Embraer Partnership & Group Operations. “It is deeply disappointing. But we have reached a point where continued negotiation within the framework of the MTA is not going to resolve the outstanding issues.”
The planned partnership between Boeing and Embraer had received unconditional approval from all necessary regulatory authorities, with the exception of the European Commission.
Boeing and Embraer will maintain their existing Master Teaming Agreement, originally signed in 2012 and expanded in 2016, to jointly market and support the C-390 Millennium military aircraft.
(Reuters) – Boeing Co suppliers Hexcel Corp and Woodward Inc on Monday called off their planned all-stock merger as widespread travel bans to curb the coronavirus pummels demand in the aerospace sector.
The companies, which make and supply aircraft parts, had agreed to a merger in January in a $6.4 billion deal.
“Although we are disappointed with this outcome, we are confident this is the right decision for our customers, our shareholders, and our employees,” the companies said in a joint statement.
The market rout triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic downturn has thrown a wrench into corporate deal making. Last month U.S. printer maker Xerox Holdings Corp walked away from its $35 billion hostile cash-and-stock bid for HP Inc.
Boeing, which halted the production of its grounded 737 MAX aircraft in January, said on Sunday it would extend the suspension of production at its Washington state facilities until further notice.
Boeing is Hexcel’s second-biggest customer, accounting for a quarter of the company’s annual sales. Hexcel also supplies Airbus SE.
Woodward gets about 15% of its annual sales from Boeing, its biggest customer.
(Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Devika Syamnath)
The Airbus built BepiColombo mission will make a fly-by past Earth on 10th April 2020 as it continues on its epic journey to Mercury.
The joint European Space Agency and Japanese Space Agency spacecraft will swing past Earth at about 13,000 km away, closer than navigation satellites (GPS, Galileo). It will be BepiColombo’s final glimpse of Earth before it continues on its seven year, 8.5 billion kilometre journey to the Solar System’s innermost, smallest and least explored planet, Mercury. The last time the spacecraft saw Earth was 18 months ago in October 2018, when it was launched on an Ariane 5.
BepiColombo is not due to arrive at Mercury until 05th December 2025, but to get there safely and at the right speed to be captured by Mercury’s gravity, it must do nine flybys of the inner planets, one past Earth, two at Venus and six flybys at Mercury. After arrival, the spacecraft will capture data for a year with the possibility of extending the mission.
BepiColombo will collect measurements to study the composition, geophysics, atmosphere, magnetosphere and history of Mercury as well as testing Einstein’s theory of general relativity. The 16 scientific instruments will also provide insights into the characteristics of Mercury’s magnetic field and how it interacts with the solar wind.
Philippe Pham, Head of Earth Observation, Navigation and Science said: “This flyby marks a great achievement and major milestone for Airbus. Teams across five countries worked together to successfully develop and launch the spacecraft on a complex mission to Mercury.”
The journey will total some 8.5 billion km, completing 18 orbits around the Sun before entering the spacecraft’s operational orbit and beginning scientific exploration of the planet Mercury.
