Broughton: Airbus confirms A320 production ramp up to 75 a month from 2025

Airbus has confirmed plans to increase the A320 production rate to 75 a month from 2025 bringing a boost to Broughton’s wing making plant.

The current monthly rate is around 50 a month for narrow-body planes, which will increase up to 65 jets a month by the middle of 2023.

“This production increase will benefit the entire global industrial value chain.”

“Airbus will meet the higher production rates by increasing capacity at its existing industrial sites and growing the industrial footprint in Mobile, US, while investing to ensure that all commercial aircraft assembly sites are A321-capable.” The planemaker said.

Announcing their Quarter 1 results on Wednesday, Airbus said “Commercial aircraft production for the A320 Family is progressing towards a monthly rate of 65 aircraft by summer 2023, in a complex environment.”

“Following an analysis of global customer demand as well as an assessment of the industrial ecosystem’s readiness, the Company is now working with its suppliers and partners to enable monthly production rates of 75 in 2025.”

“This production increase will benefit the entire global industrial value chain.”

“Airbus will meet the higher production rates by increasing capacity at its existing industrial sites and growing the industrial footprint in Mobile, US, while investing to ensure that all commercial aircraft assembly sites are A321-capable.”

Airbus has forecast for at least 720 jets deliveries this year, even as the war in Ukraine and Covid lockdowns in China make building and operating aircraft more challenging.

“Our 2022 guidance is unchanged, even though the risk profile for the rest of the year has become more challenging due to the complex geopolitical and economic environment,” said Guillaume Faury, Airbus Chief Executive Officer.

“Looking beyond 2022, we see continuing strong growth in commercial aircraft demand driven by the A320 Family.”

“As a result we are now working with our industry partners to increase A320 Family production rates further to 75 aircraft a month in 2025. This ramp-up will benefit the aerospace industry’s global value chain.”

Last month workers at Airbus Broughton accepted an improved pay offer bringing a long-running dispute to a close.

Members of Unite had voted for industrial action in February but suspended planned strikes to consider an improved offer by Airbus.

The offer accepted by the workforce consists of an 8.6 per cent pay increase over 13 months in addition to a backdated 5.1 per cent lump sum payment. Workers will also have an additional day’s holiday in 2023 and in 2024.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This win is further proof of Unite’s determination to drive up pay and conditions across the UK’s aerospace sector.”

An Airbus spokesperson said at the time: “We are pleased that members of the Collective Bargaining Group accepted the Company’s improved two-year pay offer and that industrial action has been avoided.”

“Airbus remains committed to its long-term future in the UK and the company is fully focused on building a resilient, competitive and collaborative place to work for years to come through investing in the skills that will be required to allow us to lead globally on the decarbonisation of aviation and to meet the ramp up in production that we expect to follow.”