The titanium and aluminum investment casting specialist TITAL GmbH located in Bestwig, Germany has positioned itself more and more as a strategic supplier. After TITAL was recently certified by Airbus France for machining and assembly work on titanium castings, the Bestwig company now performs assembly work for the French engine manufacturer Snecma. Less than three years ago Snecma requested quotations for a project comprised of 28 titanium engine components and 1 aluminum component.  The purpose of the inquiry was to reduce lead times, simplify work processes and reduce costs. TITAL completed an extensive qualification process before the customer allowed them to ship machined castings and assembled products.

Today TITAL casts, machines and assembles titanium components for the M88 engine which is installed in the supersonic jet fighter Rafale which is manufactured by Dassault as well as parts of the GE 90 engine family. Snecma delivers a substantial number of components and subsystems for these engines to General Electric. The GE 90 engines are produced for Boeing's long distance aircraft the B777.

In the past, TITAL only produced the raw castings and delivered them to different machining companies in France. These companies machined the parts and delivered them to Snecma for assembly. "Now we save this intermediate step", explains Philipp Jerusalem, Director Sales and Marketing at TITAL. "Today we deliver these parts pre-assembled directly to the final customer Snecma. To Snecma we are now listed and appreciated as a tier-1 supplier. The direct contact to the end customer is of strategic importance for TITAL because only during direct discussions with the end customer great cost savings can be realized by using investment castings." Because TITAL now acts as a general contractor for Snecma, they achieve substantial savings through reduced supplier management costs. Jerusalem continues: "When we deliver the components ready for assembly, the customer does not have to deal with the management of machining and assembly suppliers. Snecma's procurement and material planning processes became much more streamlined and efficient. Furthermore, all parties involved benefit from the shortened communication channels and decision routes." Snecma is one of the biggest customers in TITAL's engine sector.

This year TITAL has been certified by Airbus France for machining and assembly work on titanium castings and TITAL is now allowed to deliver cast, machined and assembled ribs for pylons (between engine and wing) for the Airbus Single Aisle Family aircraft A318, A319, A320 and A321. Another example is the A400M pylon where 12 different titanium pin latch fittings are being cast and furnished with threads and helicoils. Jerusalem adds: "We want to continue to strengthen our role as a strategic supplier."