Modern society wouldn’t function without rubber and plastics. Can you talk us through the portfolio of polymer products Trelleborg produces specifically for aerospace applications?
Trelleborg’s primary application is sealing, which is critical in many industries, including aerospace. Seals are necessary wherever moving parts interact, from coffee machines to heart surgery machines and, of course, aircraft. In aviation, our seals are used in landing gears, engines, galleys, windows, and more. Nose to tail, wingtip to wingtip, we could supply up to a thousand parts for an aircraft, depending on the components used, such as landing gear or engines.
We play a significant role in aircraft functionality, particularly in critical areas like landing gear. While our products might not be a large part of the total cost, they are essential for the overall function. Much of the development happens in-house, working closely with manufacturers to improve fuel efficiency, reduce weight, and enhance overall performance.
Judging by your expansion plans, the aerospace portion of your portfolio is growing. Which markets do you believe have the greatest potential in 2024?
We are easily looking at 50% growth in the next few years. As such, we are setting up in Morocco, expanding to China, and looking at SouthEast Asia. Casablanca is a hugely important emerging segment for aerospace. There are now 20,000 people employed within the aviation sector in Morocco and all of our core customers are there, including Pratt & Whitney, Safran, Airbus etc.
Having a truly global footing sets us apart from the competition. As our Tier 1 suppliers develop and decide to expand to new territories, we are ready to support them on that journey. India is another area where we are seeing a lot of growth to support Boeing and Airbus dramatically over the next few years, and capacity has to increase to support them.
What measures are you taking to ensure you are set up to achieve Trelleborg’s 2025 emission improvement goals?
We are on track to pre-deliver our 2025 targets, especially in terms of controlling our manufacturing emissions. By switching to renewable energy and making internal changes, we’ve been able to meet our targets quicker than expected. Polymers, traditionally carbon-based, are also evolving, and we're adapting rapidly to these changes. However, when it comes to aerospace, the approval processes are much longer. Even though we’re ready to deliver sustainable materials today, it will take about 5-10 years for them to be implemented in aircraft due to these lengthy certification processes. While this can be frustrating, it's necessary to ensure the safety of the products before they’re used in aviation.
We're partnering with Deutsche Tech on the Dornier 320 eco model to develop materials that can withstand the aggressive properties of SAF. The goal is to ensure these materials maintain the same mean time between repairs, so while we make the engines more sustainable, we're not increasing operating costs. This is crucial because the cost per flight hour remains a significant driver in the airline industry. Additionally, we're looking at other propulsion methods, including hydrogen. Hydrogen is widely used across many sectors, and we've invested significantly in centralized R&D to support not only aerospace but also transportation and industrial applications. This R&D allows us to ensure our materials can handle the unique challenges posed by hydrogen as a power source.
Can you tell us more about your partnership with Airbus for hydrogen-powered air travel and your thoughts on these future technologies?
We are working with Airbus on sealing solutions for hydrogen-powered flights. Hydrogen presents a unique challenge, requiring seals that can protect the rest of the aircraft while operating under diverse environmental conditions. Aerospace demands a broad range of stable operating conditions, and we're developing materials that meet these rigorous requirements.
Ultimately, Airbus, as the type certificate holder, will sign off on the solutions, but we are fully engaged in supporting them to ensure that whatever reaches service is safe and reliable. This partnership is part of our broader efforts to help the industry meet sustainability goals while maintaining the high safety standards required.
Ageing aircraft is an industry-wide problem. Is the industry being proactive in acknowledging the need for new, more efficient models?
Yes, there’s definitely a replacement cycle happening, particularly with older, less efficient aircraft being swapped out for newer models. We are always looking at the future of aircraft. We're supporting Boeing and Airbus with their new pipelines, and there’s also some modernization happening with older fleets, especially as they’re converted from passenger to freighter use.
However, the scope for changes to the aircraft’s engineered structure is limited, especially when it comes to major systems like engines or landing gears. Most opportunities lie in areas like aircraft interiors, where materials are being upgraded more quickly. Here, we’re seeing the introduction of lighter, more sustainable, and recycled materials.
