Suppliers Excited Over Paris Air Show Gains for Pratt & Whitney

North central Connecticut aerospace suppliers are hoping to ride the tailwinds of East Hartford-based airplane engine maker Pratt & Whitney’s big wins at the Paris Air Show Monday. This was the first day of the six-day-long biennial event, and more news of additional orders is expected.

“Paris Air Show provides an internationally recognized venue to showcase the value and competitive advantage of our innovative products and services to current and future customers, suppliers and partners. There are several active campaigns and potential new customers that we’re excited about. We expect to announce new partners, finalize existing agreements and close potential new orders for engines and services pending final negotiations,” Tyrone Woodyard, director of external communications, Pratt & Whitney, said.

A division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), Pratt & Whitney announced in press releases dated June 20 that it received firm orders for 10 PW1200G (Gear Turbo Fan - GTF) engines for the Japanese Mitsubishi Regional Jet aircraft. The fleet was ordered by Hong Kong-based ANI Group Holdings Ltd. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2016.

“The GTF order is very exciting. We see it as a plus for the industry and for our company. The fallout is a possible multi-year contract,” said Howard Orr, president of KTI, Inc. in East Windsor, a specialist in electron beam welding. 

Orr said the firm’s headcount has increased on the heels of a better outlook for the sector.

KTI, whose other customers include General Electric and Rolls-Royce, has done development work on all Pratt & Whitney engines 

Manchester-based Highland Manufacturing, which makes tooling, gauges and dies, accrues around 20 percent of its total sales from Pratt & Whitney.

“We’re very excited about the news from Paris. Based on this, and our strong order book, we restarted our job-training program, which has been on hold for two and a half years,” Christian Queen, founder and CEO, said.

In a series of press releases yesterday, Pratt & Whitney announced that Japan-based All Nippon Airways has selected 10 PW4074D engines to power five new Boeing 777 aircraft. The contract is valued at $230 million at list prices.

Additionally, India’s Ministry of Defense has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the U.S. government to acquire 10 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlifters exclusively powered by four Pratt & Whitney F117 engines.

As part of an order announced in early March, the engine maker also signed an agreement for up to 100 Airbus A320-neo family aircraft ordered by International Lease Finance Corporation. The agreement includes 120 PurePower PW1100G engines for 60 aircraft. Deliveries may begin in 2015.

“It’s exciting news that Pratt & Whitney has won these contracts. We’re hoping they’ll keep the work local,” said Norm Barnes, vice president of sales at Bloomfield-based Birken Manufacturing Company, several of whose employees reside in north central Connecticut.

The company, which has multiple ongoing orders with Pratt & Whitney, is building up its base with General Electric, Rolls-Royce and the U.S. government to diversify its revenue stream in the wake of outsourcing concerns.

“Several parts we make were outsourced by Pratt & Whitney to China and they’re looking for low-cost sources in India. So it’s important to expand our customer-base now,” Barnes said.

The company is expecting strong growth in the second half of the fiscal year and is poised to hire additional employees.

Orr of KTI, Inc. said he was not concerned at this point about Pratt & Whitney potentially outsourcing his firm’s work. Electron beam welding is currently a niche area and few suppliers globally have the technical capability and infrastructure to enter this field.