Stephen Molloy, Aerospace, Defence and Industrials Director at G&P Group Holdings Ltd, and an IMechE Chartered Engineer whose previous roles include senior positions in aerospace OEMs and aircraft systems providers, discusses how quality cannot be compromised as the aerospace sector plans for the post-pandemic future.
While some predict that there will be a rapid recovery for the aerospace sector when Covid-rates are under control internationally, aerospace companies must strive to be as efficient as possible while delivering on time to be competitive during this regrowth phase and beyond.
Core to this is protecting build-lines from disruption and inferior quality, while maximising their production effectiveness. This is achieved by defining the problem through measurement, analysis, audit and data, and then working to develop a permanent fix, to improve quality levels and drive problems back to root cause to ultimately eradicate them.
G&P itself has prepared for this upturn by maintaining employment levels as high as possible throughout the pandemic so that it can offer the flexibility and strength in depth that aerospace customers require. To support this, the company has also provided employees with opportunities to work in new sectors, so enhancing their skills in the interim.
Sustainability focus
As in most manufacturing industries there is also a growing focus on sustainability in aerospace, which in itself creates fresh challenges and new opportunities - an increased number of electric aircraft, hybrid power plants and sustainable aviation fuels as examples. These environmental changes are already at the centre of the automotive sector, primarily through the rapid development and adoption of battery and electric vehicles, and are growing considerations within the aerospace industry.
G&P’s established presence in the automotive sector means the company has already developed relevant services and employee training programmes that are contributing to sustainability results while maintaining quality standards throughout the production process. The result is that the company is in a strong position to serve the equivalent emerging environmental focuses of the aerospace industry which will become more widespread in the coming years.
Commitment to a long-term diversification strategy is also key to G&P and is possible because many of the services – including inspection/containment and rework, supplier management and quality audits, finished product acceptance, , and scanning services – are transferable to multiple industries beyond aerospace and automotive such as off-highway, household goods, marine and rail.
Therefore, in an ever-changing world where disruption reigns, quality in production, whether it’s in aerospace or another manufacturing sector, must be maintained and should be given even greater priority than before as the world adjusts to a ‘new normal’.