thyssenkrupp Aerospace has signed a new seven-year agreement to provide raw material management services to Bombardier. The agreement is an extension of a 15-year-long partnership between the two companies in which thyssenkrupp manages raw material deliveries to Bombardier’s supply chain by handling material flows from demand forecasting, sourcing, and processing to warehousing and logistics through a dedicated and customised control tower.

The use of a control tower ensures a seamless supply of materials to customers and their subcontractors. Digital tools oversee planning, execution, and reporting across the customer sites serviced by thyssenkrupp Aerospace. The control tower closely monitors all operational activities as well as forecasting and order inputs. In this way, it brings transparency to customer supply chains, the ability to act immediately in the case of unforeseen events, and continuous improvement measures.

CEO Patrick Marous explains: “It is our mission to make the aerospace supply chain more resilient and support our customers in the best possible way. This is why we are delighted that Bombardier continues to trust us with their raw materials management. The use of a global control tower will enhance visibility for Bombardier and help to make its supply chain more flexible. It is a great example of our strategic approach that goes beyond materials distribution to offering Materials as a Service.”

As part of its MaaS strategy, thyssenkrupp Materials Services, the parent company of thyssenkrupp Aerospace, is continuously expanding its service portfolio. Digital solutions in the area of supply chain management play an essential role for the biggest mill-independent materials distributor and service provider in the Western world.

Ilse Henne, Chief Transformation Officer of thyssenkrupp Materials Services, says: "We are observing a great deal of dynamism in the market environment with a high degree of complexity – this naturally also moves our customers. We see it as our role to manage this complexity with intelligent solutions so that our customers can concentrate on their core business."

The new contract with Bombardier will focus on reducing waste, optimizing resources, and increasing process efficiency. thyssenkrupp Aerospace is taking measures to increase process efficiency and assist Bombardier in its growth strategy. To that end, the company has recently acquired digitally controlled vertical storage units for its warehouses in Canada, streamlining Bombardier’s supply chain with just- in-time or just-in-sequence materials delivery.

Bombardier’s growth strategy includes a focus on leveraging the full potential of its talented employees to support its ever-increasing customer base. The company is growing its skilled and diverse workforce and places a great importance on finding top talent to continue thriving as a world-leading manufacturer of business jets.