Italy at a Glance Materials to the Highest Levels and Hence “The 787 Represents Today the High Strategy
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“ Italy is an extremely important U.S. ally and a valued customer and industrial partner in both the commercial and defense markets.” – Rinaldo Petrignani, president of Boeing Italy PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: (Far left) A Boeing 787 Dreamliner flies above Rome’s Colosseum.BRANDON LUONG/BOEING; COLOSSEUM PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK; 787 DREAMLINER PHOTO: BOEING PHOTOS: (Above, from left) A 787 composite fuselage barrel is loaded into the Dreamlifter at the Alenia Aermacchi facility in Grottaglie, located in Italy’s Taranto province. ALENIA AERMACCHI Rinaldo Petrignani, president of Boeing Italy. BOEING (Left) A trio of Alenia employees work in the lower portion of a 787 barrel in Grottaglie. ALENIA AERMACCHI technological expertise in composite Italian Research Office near Naples. president of Business Development and Italy at a glance materials to the highest levels and hence “The 787 represents today the high Strategy. Italy is Boeing’s second-largest to become even stronger and more point of the intense relationship that Boeing supplier in Europe, excluding engine Official name: Italian Republic competitive as a global player in the has been able to develop with the Italian purchases, he said. Location: Southern Europe, a peninsula aerostructures industry.” air industry: a relationship which, as every “Italy represents both an important mar- extending to the Mediterranean Sea; Viva l’Italia Alenia also has made horizontal stabiliz- relationship, has also had its difficulties, but ket for our business units and an important neighbors include France, Switzerland, Boeing and Italy enjoy strong ties and Austria and Slovenia ers for the 787 in Italy, as well as radomes, which constantly proceeds and progresses industrial and research partner,” Hill said. fins and control surfaces for the 767. It’s in the mutual interest for the realization of Boeing’s ties to Italy include an impor- Area: 116,348 square miles partnerships that benefit both By Eric Fetters-Walp the continuation of a long-standing link this great airplane,” said Rinaldo Petrignani, tant one with the nation’s flag carrier, (301,340 square kilometers), slightly Italy encompasses a fine blend of old and pieces. Operated by Alenia Aermacchi, larger than the U.S. state of Arizona between Alenia and Boeing on a series president of Boeing Italy. “Under their new Alitalia, which flies a mix of Boeing jets— new, from ancient architectural wonders to a Finmeccanica company, the factory of Commercial Airplanes programs, leadership, both Alenia and Finmeccanica including the 777-200ER (Extended Range), Population: More than 61 million, ranks renowned modern design in automobiles, makes fuselage sections 44 and 46— including the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 are now poised to make new progress and 767-300ER, the 737-400 and MD-80 23rd in the world fashion and even everyday appliances. the middle of the Dreamliner. and the 767, for which Alenia assisted to improve and expand even further their to -82 models. The airline considers the Official language: Italian That combination is demonstrated “It has been extremely important for with design and construction. relationship with Boeing.” 10 777s it flies as the flagship model of Capital: Rome by the town of Grottaglie, home to both Alenia Aermacchi to be part of the global In addition to the supplier relationship, Boeing and Italy have a number of ties its long-haul fleet. Direct Boeing employees in Italy: a 13th-century castle and a cutting-edge team that has worked—and will continue Boeing and Alenia in 2007 agreed to in commercial and military aviation, and Pointing out that Airbus parent EADS Approximately 290 factory producing 787 Dreamliner fuselage to work—on the 787 program,” said Alenia jointly develop research activities in the collaboration has grown significantly has a presence in Italy and it might be Sources: The World Factbook, U.S. Department barrels using large mandrels and auto- CEO Giuseppe Giordo. “It’s an experience advanced materials and aerostructures, in recent years, said Shep Hill, president considered to have a geographical of State, Boeing claves to form the single-barrel composite that has enabled our company to take its leading to the opening of a Boeing of Boeing International and senior vice advantage to that market, Hill noted 42 DECEMBER 2011–JANUARY 2012 BOEING FRONTIERS 43 that “the Italians have been extremely and opportunities for the Italians.” Italy affordable, quality components to “Boeing enjoys long-standing In May 2009, Boeing agreed to practical and prudent customers; they Francesco Bombassei, Engineering, help keep its products competitive, as well Boeing products relationships with all branches of the license production of 16 ICH-47Fs to want the best, both on the commercial Operations & Technology’s IT International as a presence in an important market for widely used by Italian Italian military, and close collaboration AgustaWestland. Boeing provides and defense sides, which has advan- Operations manager, said those visible its commercial and military products. n with Italian industry has been, and will aircraft sections, components and taged Boeing.” effects of Boeing’s presence are impor- [email protected] armed forces continue to be, critical to the success production support. The contract Roberto Russo, an Information tant, but he also sees more subtle effects of programs such as the CH-47F,” said allows AgustaWestland to market and Technology computing technician in from Boeing in Italy. While Italy and Boeing collaborate on Oris Davis, director of BDS International sell the ICH-47F in specific countries Boeing’s Rome office, said there are “Through work placement in cutting- PHOTOS: (Clockwise from left) A view the 787 and other Commercial Airplanes Business Development for Southern and around the Mediterranean. many benefits from Boeing’s partnering edge programs such as the 787, Boeing from inside a 787 fuselage barrel of the programs, the nation’s military and Boeing Europe. “Italy also offers great future “We have, in fact, produced in Italy, with Italian suppliers. sustains a large part of the entire national composite fuselage factory in Grottaglie, Defense, Space & Security also are solid market possibilities for areas such as together with AgustaWestland, first the “Boeing’s presence in Italy can aerospace industry and the creation of Italy, operated by Alenia Aermacchi, a partners on a number of fronts. energy, information assurance, maritime CH-47C for the Italian Army and now, Finmeccanica company. ED TURNER/BOEING know-how and high technologies that Rinaldo Petrignani, president of Boeing speed up in many ways the industry and Alenia employees work on a 787 fuselage domain awareness and critical infrastruc- also for the Italian Army, the new model, Italy, said Italy is an important U.S. ally, as technological growth with partnerships then have downstream positive effects barrel in the Grottaglie, factory. ALENIA ture protection.” the -F, the industrial production of which and collaborations with private and public on the Italian industry,” Bombassei said. AERMACCHI Boeing partnered with Alenia well as a valued customer and industrial Boeing partnered with Italy to is about to begin soon in northern Italy,” entities,” Russo said. “It also makes “In other words, through participation Aeronavali and the Italian Ministry of partner for military products. Most notably, develop, produce and support the Petrignani said. “And this is going to turn stronger the political friendship between in Boeing programs, the Italian aerospace Defense to produce four KC-767A Tanker the nation was a launch customer of KC-767A Tanker Transport aircraft for into another great success story in our Transport aircraft for Italy’s air force. BOEING community grows in competence and the International 767 Tanker, and Italy’s the U.S. and the Italian government. Not Italy’s national airline, Alitalia, uses Boeing Italy’s air force. The first three have been relationship with the Italian Army.” least for the Italian suppliers, working ability to deliver.” 777-200ER (Extended Range) jetliners as AgustaWestland is co-producing the delivered, with the final one scheduled Among other defense and space for Boeing means creating more jobs And, in return, Boeing receives from the core of its long-haul fleet. TIM STAKE/BOEING Chinook helicopter for Italy’s armed forces. to be delivered by early 2012. projects under way or recently completed 44 BOEING FRONTIERS DECEMBER 2011–JANUARY 2012 45 between Boeing and Italian partners: jet trainer by providing a ground- PHOTOS: (Clockwise from left) In May Armida Balla, Global Corporate Citizen- Boeing Italy has sponsored “Migration • Boeing and Finmeccanica’s Oto Melara based training system and after-sales 2009, Boeing agreed to license production Boeing and Alenia ship administrator in Italy, said the program and Change: Learning to Live Together subsidiary are making Joint Direct support services. of 16 ICH-47Fs, new versions of the provides plenty of hands-on activities to en- in an Increasingly Diverse World,” which Italian Army’s CH-47C Chinook, like the engage Italian students Attack Munition kits for Italy’s air force “There are many other examples one shown here, to AgustaWestland. on the environment gage students in the topics of sustainable addresses—through workshops aimed and navy. The two also have agreed of Boeing products and technologies, Boeing also provides aircraft sections technologies and environmental protection. at students—issues of cultural, ethnic to produce Small Diameter Bombs resulting from collaboration with Italian and components, as well as engineering, While Italian employees are helping build Environmental issues are a big concern in and religious diversity. The program was technical and in-service logistics support. for Italy’s air force. industry, that have been chosen by the one of the world’s most environmentally the Puglia region, and Natural..mente scuola co-organized by the Center for American BOEING Finmeccanica’s Oto Melara subsidiary teaches children practical ways how they can Studies in Italy.