ANNnews – Carla Alburquerque (Program Manager Boeing)
3rd December 2021
Aernnova continues to demonstrate its good practices in operational excellence that lead to the achievement of excellent results. Practices based on the involvement of people, process management, results orientation, customer focus, continuous improvement or innovation.
Proof of this are the acknowledgments received from some of the Global Top Commercial Aircraft OEMs.
For obvious reasons, Boeing decided not to award the Excellence Award for the results of the year 2020. That is why it was a pleasant surprise for us when on September 29 we received a letter from the “Boeing Commercial Airplane Operational Structures Supply Chain Team” recognizing Aernnova its extraordinary industrial performance.
[…] we would like to thank you and your team for your outstanding continued operational performance […] providing us superior Quality and Delivery.
Please share our sincerest gratitude to your entire team and their support in providing “Perfect Parts On Time”. […]”.
Juan Carlos Ortiz, SVP Clients and Business Development states: “when Aernnova won the bulkhead offer in 2016, this structure was made by a German company in RTM technology as the sole source and with a rate of 12 aircraft / month. At that time, and in order to improve the quality of the product and reduce its recurring product costs, Boeing took the decision, not without some risk, to change the product design, the production technology (to AFP), the material (unidirectional fiber) and launched a worldwide selection process with the best companies in the sector to choose the best supplier for this product. As a result of the process, Aernnova was the sole source winner and at a time when the program rump up was increasing from 12 to 14 aircraft / month. The selection of Aernnova demonstrated Boeing’s extraordinary confidence in our capabilities and our commitment, and months later, we were able to thank them for that confidence and show them that they were not wrong when we delivered the first product 1 month ahead of the commitment date and demonstrating production capability for a rate of 14 aircraft / month just 4 months after that first delivery. “
Carla Albuquerque, director of the Boeing B787 Rear Pressure Bulkhead program states “Boeing’s letter is an exceptional encouragement to all of us who work to maintain our objectives. At Aernnova, we strive to help Boeing build great products focused on performance, efficiency, and safety. We greatly appreciate Boeing’s recognition for the hard work we do every day.”
Carla wanted to clarify that, “starting from the fact that her journey as responsible for the management of the program is less than a year, she must point out that the history of this program, our first manufacturing package with Boeing, is undoubtedly a success story since its inception. The relationship with Boeing has been built on very solid foundations of good results from its development phase and first delivery, although I do not take credit away from those us who are in the series maintaining this relationship of trust and the constancy of the results. In the letter it is clear that Boeing values the support and stability of Aernnova as a supplier, there is a sentence that perfectly summarize this success: Perfect parts delivered on time”
“I am well aware that this result has been achieved by all the members of the team, who in turn are supported by the powerful machinery that is Aernnova as a company.”
ANNnews: What are the practices that Boeing values in its suppliers when it comes to awarding this recognition?
Carla: The basic pillars are quality and delivery, but in this specific case, I believe that the response received from Aernnova in the face of the significant reductions in deliveries due to the pandemic has also had a great influence. We have shown flexibility at all times, but at the same time Boeing has also been able to respond to the demands we made to minimally cover the company’s needs and reduce the impacts of the crisis.
ANNnews: What has been the involvement of the employees and to what extent do you think they have felt part of this recognition?
Carla: Both the Illescas Committee and myself have involved the entire team and, in short, all the employees who in a more or less active way, are involved in the project. I think the team has remained very united over the years and the relationship and commitment to the program is strong. I know that in general, everyone is satisfied.
ANNnews: How many times have we received this recognition?
Carla: This is the first time we have received a letter with this explicit recognition, but we have received the Excellence Award in previous years and as we have been maintaining all the key indicators of the Program at 100% for some years now, we believe that we will receive them again in the future. We are also part of Boeing’s Premier Bidder Program, which gives us a number of advantages when it comes to participating in new business opportunities with this customer.
ANNnews: What does this recognition symbolize to you?
Carla: For me it is a source of pride to belong to the organization that was able to generate this level of satisfaction in such an important client as Boeing and although I am the first point of contact with the customer, I am very aware that this achievement is the result of the work carried out by all the members of the team, who in turn are supported by the powerful machinery that is Aernnova as a company.
“Thanks to the entire Aernnova team, employees, collaborators and suppliers. This recognition is everyone’s!
