GKN Wins Lip Skins Contract from Boeing

GKN Aerospace has won a contract to supply inlet lip skins for the Boeing 737 MAX and 777X and to assemble the 787 Dreamliner Section 47 floor grid.

In conjunction with the Boeing award, GKN has acquired Sheets Manufacturing Inc., a small privately held metallic spin forming company. SMI is a leader in the manufacture of aircraft engine inlet lip skins with legacy program positions on the Boeing 747-8 and KC-46 tanker.

GKN will engineer and manufacture the engine inlet aluminum lip skins for Boeing using proprietary spin forming and post spin processes developed by SMI and enhanced by GKN’s industry recognized automated lean industrialization techniques.

The lip skins offer a weight reduction and generate a laminar flow surface that reduces drag and improves aerodynamic performance. The lip skins will be produced at the current Camarillo site and at a new purpose built lip skin manufacturing facility in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

GKN will assemble the Boeing 787 Section 47 floor grid at its assembly facility also located in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The contract encompasses the floor grid for all three models of the 787 family: the 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10.

The floor assembly contains composite, titanium and other machined details including some mechanical systems. The large completed floor grid assemblies will be transported to Boeing South Carolina in North Charleston for installation in the fuselage barrel.

Kevin Cummings, Chief Executive Officer, GKN Aerospace said, “GKN is proud to have been selected to supply the 737 MAX and 777X inlet lip skins and 787 Section 47 floor grids. This contract award is a clear reflection of our strong commitment to the application of industry leading technologies in partnership with Boeing Commercial Airplanes.”