GKN Aerospace gains GBP10m contract to supply Silvercrest engine cases

GKN Aerospace has signed a long term agreement (LTA) with Snecma (Safran) to manufacture low pressure turbine (LPT) cases for their new Silvercrest® large/long range business jet engine.

First deliveries of cases to Snecma, Villaroche will take place in June 2013, ramping up as the engine is introduced into service through 2016.

GKN Aerospace is a risk and revenue sharing partner (RRSP) with Snecma in the CFM56 programme and has been the sole supplier of LPT cases for the CFM56 since 1986.

Odd Tore Kurverud, President, GKN Engine Systems - Norway, comments; “This contract win extends our 25 year-long partnership with Snecma on the CFM56 programme - for which we have reliably delivered high-quality LPT cases in large volumes. This has clearly supported a decision to involve us on this important new engine programme. In addition, although the Silvercrest® engine is significantly smaller than the CFM56, in producing this LPT case we will employ many of the same skilled metal manufacturing techniques.”

The GKN Aerospace - Engine Systems business has delivered more than 10,000 low pressure turbine cases for commercial and military engines worldwide. The company's skilled operators, along with state of the art automated tool handling and process control enable the business to machine the very hard, exotic metals used for thin-walled turbine cases such as this, for the Silvercrest® engine.

GKN Aerospace - Engine Systems is among the top three leading aero-engine structures suppliers worldwide. For customers focused on developing lightweight, high performance engine solutions it offers an unrivalled combination of experience in both composite and metallic component design and development, with expertise in the effective application of state of the art, automated, manufacturing technologies.