Flaps from Vietnam

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is to form a subsidiary in Hanoi, Vietnam, to produce components for commercial aircraft.

MHI is the first manufacturer in the world to locate its aircraft-related production facility in Vietnam. With the support from Boeing Commercial Airplanes, MHI Aerospace Vietnam will initially assemble flaps for the Boeing 737.

The new company will be located at the Thang Long Industrial Park (TLIP), a facility situated approximately 16km northwest of central Hanoi.

In 2009 and 2010, MHI Aerospace Vietnam plans to assemble flaps for between two and eight aeroplanes each month, and for 10 aeroplanes each month from 2011 onwards.

Initially, parts for the flaps will be either supplied from Japan or procured from neighbouring countries, including Malaysia and China. Eventually, however, the company plans to procure the parts locally.

MHI presently has multiple large-scale new projects under way in the aerospace business, including full-scale production of composite material wing boxes for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.