Valued Partner By Robert W. Moorman The has built a large portfolio of companies over 22 years to become a major supplier to manufacturers of fixed and rotary-

Jeffry D. Frisby, Triumph’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Triumph continues to invest in technologies and advancements in engineered structures solutions, systems integration and processes. Triumph’s capabilities span multiple disciplines and provide a cohesive approach to satisfy our customers’ needs.” Among the new business of approximately $150 million in annual revenue has been additional helicopter shafts and systems contracts, Frisby told attendees of the JP Morgan “Aviation, Transportation and Industrials Conference” in early March. Various Triumph companies provide parts and systems for 18 civil and 15 models of . The companies build everything from mechanical/electromechanical control systems, controls, landing Triumph builds the Osprey tail, ramp, sponsons, side skins and main panels. gear and complex gear systems to (Triumph photo) major metal and composite structural n a January 26, 1900 letter to a 10 sites, 7 product groups. assemblies and subassemblies and colleague, U.S. President Theodore Aerostructures make up 64% of hydraulic components. IRoosevelt penned the phrase that Triumph’s business, while “You can’t go 12 inches without outlined his template for conducting systems and Aftermarket Services seeing a Triumph part on an aircraft” is U.S. foreign policy: “Speak softly and comprise 28% and 8%, respectively. one oft-heard saying among employees. carry a big stick; you will go far.” “Triumph has a nice diversity A variation of that maxim could between its military and commercial Growing Rotorcraft Work describe the publicity-shy Triumph business, which is almost necessary riumph builds parts for variants Group, a $4 billion big-stick competitor, in the current market,” said Richard of the S-76 and whose 47-companies produce J. Pettibone, senior government TS-92. It provides the complete aerostructures and aerospace systems, and industry analyst for aerospace for the light, twin- and provide maintenance, repair and consultancy, Forecast International. Bell 429 and is part of a team that operations (MRO) and other aftermarket Since its 1993 founding, Triumph builds structures for the 525 services for the civil and military market. has become a major, multi-tier vendor Relentless. Berwyn, Pennsylvania-based Triumph to several OEMs. “Triumph is sort of a has grown through acquisition and like junior member of the mezzanine balanced the portfolio with civil and contractor club that includes Honeywell, military businesses. Unlike some large GE Aviation, Safran and UTC,” said Company leaders corporations, which are micro managed Richard Aboulafia, vice president of by a parent company, Triumph’s analysis, The Teal Group. “Their strategy say securing work companies operate independently. is sound. Forty-seven niche companies The parent sits at the top of three would be a lot weaker on their own.” on the rotorcraft major divisions: Aerostructures, which A number of those companies has 16 companies at 29 sites with 14 partner with helicopter OEMs. “The of tomorrow is a product groups; Aerospace Systems, 20 rotorcraft industry is an important companies, 25 sites, 15 product groups; piece of Triumph’s business and an priority. and Aftermarket Services, 7 companies, integral part of our growth plans,” said

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35 VERTIFLITE May/June 2015 Company leaders say securing work on the rotorcraft of tomorrow is a priority. Triumph builds the complete landing gear for the next generation Sikorsky S-97 Raider. In early March, Sikorsky announced the start of the final assembly of the second at the company’s Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Various divisions said they’re moving toward electro-mechanical actuators versus the hydraulic actuators and some units are dabbling in 3-D printing of aerostructures. Work continues on the military side. Triumph Aerostructures – Aircraft Division produces the main landing gear panels and entire tail section of the Bell V-22 Osprey, including the aft body section, the vertical and horizontal sections plus The company says securing work on the rotorcraft of tomorrow is a priority. The design, empennage, , elevators, ramp and fabrication of the entire Sikorsky Raider landing gear were completed by and ramp side panels. Triumph has Triumph. (Sikorsky photo) delivered well over 100 tail structures since signing onto the V-22 program in for Triumph and a significant step up The Tulsa plant makes wing parts for the 1996. in the aerostructures business,” said Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., a division Triumph Aerostructures has Norm Jordan, president of Triumph of General Dynamics. While a direct facilities in Red Oak, ; Dallas, Texas; Aerostructures – Vought Aircraft benefit to the fixed-wing business, the Hawthorne, ; Milledgeville, Division. acquisition broadens Triumph’s market Georgia; Nashville, Tennessee and Stuart, So too was the December 2014 appeal worldwide, said analysts. Florida. assumption of Spirit AeroSystems’ These kinds of purchases are part of Triumph’s $1.44 billion stock and cash Gulfstream G650 and G280 wing part Triumph’s long-term growth through purchase of Vought Aircraft Division assembly business in Tulsa. As part diversification plan, said company in March 2010 was a “key acquisition of the deal, Spirit paid Triumph $150 leaders. Diversification is also a hedge million to cover transfer and other costs. against a downturn in either the civil or military markets. Growth continues in the Aftermarket Services Group. In October 2014, Triumph acquired -based MRO company North American Aircraft Services, Inc. The now-named Triumph Aviation Services – NAAS Division provides line maintenance, ground support maintenance, routine and emergency systems maintenance and repair. NAAS provides work for Boeing, , Northrop , Southwest , FedEx and UPS. In addition to MRO, the Aftermarket Services provides auxiliary power units, , thrust reversers and engine aircraft components. A significant portion of the business within the Vought Aircraft division “is new build, but we also build spares for most of our customers,” said Jordan. “Our strategy hasn’t changed. In order to increase spares activity, we need to have Triumph manufactures the transmissions for the Bell 429 (shown) and the MDHI MD500 series. new build,” he said. Seventy-percent (Triumph photo) of Vought’s business is civil, the rest military. 36 VERTIFLITE May/June 2015 The Vought Aircraft Division also has systems. In one project, the division to enhance its rotorcraft business. a multi-year contract with Sikorsky to is currently developing a full-scale Triumph reported an operating loss of produce cabin structures for UH-60L/M rotor test stand for Korean Aerospace $61.3 million for the quarter ending Black Hawk and MH-60S Knighthawk Industries in support of their production, December 2014. This included a pre- helicopters. product development and MRO tax charge of $152 million for forward Various Triumph companies have a requirements. losses associated with the -8 role in producing the Sikorsky CH-53K Triumph’s aftermarket services program. The Vought Aircraft Division heavy lift helicopter for the US Marines. include engine overhaul and repair produces the for the 747-8, Triumph’s -based engineering on various civil and military rotorcraft, nacelles for the C-17 and also supports group developed the blade fold including the AH-64D Apache and CH- the A330/340 and A320 programs. The system, blade damper and the rotor 47F Chinook, and the MD Helicopters company also reported a drop in the brake module. Triumph also produces MD369/500/600. production rate on the Boeing C-17 numerous hydraulic components military transport and civil and thermal transfer systems and Growth Plans . components for the CH-53K. ecent events and statements by The Aerospace Systems and Triumph Actuation Systems – key Triumph executives indicate Aftermarket Services segments often works with the the company would bolster its “continued to perform well” during the Seattle division on helicopter projects. R third quarter, but the Aerostructures unit helicopter business, particularly in the TAS-CT specializes in the development civil sector. reported net sales of $559.5 million in of various the third quarter, aerospace compared to products, including $637.2 million mechanical in the prior year actuation systems, period. structural landing Luckily, gear systems sequestration, the and components congressionally- for the civil and mandated . budget cuts for The Engine military and other Controls Systems government division produces programs, has yet Full Authority to significantly Digital Engine affect Triumph’s Controls (FADECs), helicopter fuel pumps and business. The fuel metering Budget Control units for civil and Act-defined military rotorcraft, sequestration including the funding levels in Boeing CH-47 FY2014 and FY Chinook and the The company manufactures systems and controls for a wide range of AgustaWestland, Airbus (EC130 2015 “had little Black Hawk, as well shown), Bell, Boeing, MD and Sikorsky aircraft. (Airbus photo) or no impact” as commercial, on Triumph’s regional business aircraft. Work in this “We are focusing certainly on trying rotary wing programs, according to a division is likely to pick up and involves to be more international,” said Tom statement by Triumph’s government supplying control systems on seven Holzthum, vice president of the Triumph affairs department. A deal orchestrated different models of military rotorcraft, Group, who oversees eight companies by leaders in the US House and Senate including the UH-1, AH-6, OH-58 and in the systems segment, actuation side. budget committees restored $45 billion other military helicopters. On the “A lot of our content is on domestic built that sequestration would have extracted civil side, the division supplies engine aircraft. We’d like to have more business from the defense budget each year. control systems for the EC130, AW109, with Airbus Helicopters.” President Obama’s proposed budget Bell 407/430, the AW169 and other The need to seek new business for FY2016 is $39 billion above the helicopters. wherever possible is a theme Vertiflite sequestration-required level. “It is now Triumph Aerospace Systems – heard often from heads of various a fight between the defense hawks Newport News (Virginia), an engineering divisions. Many divisions continue and the budget hawks in Congress and test facility, is instrumental in to perform well, but the most recent with the outcome undefined,” said the engineering and manufacture of earnings statement also shows cutbacks Triumph’s government affairs offices. “If aerospace hardware and prototype in certain fixed wing programs, the President’s request holds, our helo systems for fixed-wing and helicopter increasing the pressure for Triumph programs will again be essentially fully Vol.37 61, No. 3 VERTIFLITE May/June 201537 The biggest positive change is having a deep-pocketed parent that invests in its individual companies, according to various executives of Triumph companies. Also there is a good deal of collaboration between various companies, which makes one- stop shopping packages possible for customers. Company executives would not comment on specific plans to enhance Triumph’s rotorcraft programs, but some divisions are talking about partnering with Korea aerospace industry on systems development, said Holzthum. Maintaining long-term military rotorcraft programs – even at reduced levels – would help bolster Triumph’s coffers. “We have been very successful with the CH53-K,” said Bresh. “The CH-53K will account for a lot of growth in the next ten years.” About the Author obert Moorman is a freelance writer specializing in various facets Rof the fixed and rotor wing air transportation business. With nearly 30 years of experience, he runs a freelance writing business, RWM Associates. His The NASA Large Rotor Test Apparatus (LRTA) was designed and built by Triumph. The company writing clients include several of the also designed and built the Test Rig (TTR) in conjunction with Bell Helicopter. (NASA leading aviation magazines targeting photo) the civil and military markets. He can be funded. If not, the specific program and impact when Triumph took over, reached at amount redacted is yet to be defined.” because its policy is to maintain the [email protected]. Forecast’s Pettibone said existing management structure and let sequestration will affect Triumph’s them operate as an independent unit.” military business, “but it isn’t going to be as bad as once anticipated,” he said. Current production rotary wing programs remain relatively steady “for the next 7 to 8 years,” said Art Bresh, director of sales for the Triumph Group. Additional business from Airbus Helicopters plus continued expansion efforts in Europe and China will help boost revenues. Triumph has a - based parts division that could supply parts for Airbus Helicopters. Bresh provides a unique perspective on the parent company’s ability to successfully juggle so many companies. Before coming to Triumph, Bresh worked 28 years for Sikorsky, a company that contracted with several of the companies that Triumph now owns. “You always get nervous when a new Triumph is part of a team that builds airframe structures for the 525 Relentless. (Bell photo) owner comes in and takes over,” Bresh remembered. “I never saw a negative

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