FACC Crew celebrates milestone: 10,000th A320 fan cowl shipped

Ried im Innkreis, April 11, 2016 – The crew at aviation industry supplier FACC is celebrating a very special occasion. The 10,000th fan cowl for the Airbus A320 has now been shipped. This makes the project launched in 1995 one of the company’s most successful long-term orders. It is also a prime example of the special FACC spirit, as three longstanding project team members – Katrin Maier, Patrick Penninger, and Kurt Pieringer – confirm. FACC is currently commencing work on similar product ranges, thereby creating 200 new jobs in the Innviertel region.

For more than 20 years now, FACC has been supplying aircraft manufacturer Airbus with specially developed fan cowls for the A320. They protect the engine from damage and enhance the aircraft’s aerodynamics, while reducing noise generation thanks to the innovative materials employed. The 10,000th shipment of these fan cowls is also proof of valuable long-term teamwork in the company. Katrin Maier, Patrick Penninger, and Kurt Pieringer are three examples of how the success story of a product can also inspire careers in the company.

Milestone marks provisional highlight of an exemplary career
Hailing from the local town of Schärding, Katrin Maier has been working on this project for ten years and is very proud of the recent landmark. “There have been many success stories in our company. However, the 10,000th shipment of such an important component is real recognition for the work of the team.” The 32-year-old forewoman began her career at FACC 13 years ago. At the beginning of her career, she worked in the Plant 1 Cleanroom. Production of the fuel-saving winglets was one of her first tasks. After four years there, she transferred to Plant 4 in Reichersberg. Three years later, her commitment was rewarded with promotion to the post of shift supervisor. Thanks to the economic growth of the company and simultaneous expansion of production, she was offered the post of forewoman. "I didn’t have to think for long when they asked me. Since then, I have primarily been responsible for leading my production team, maintaining high quality standards, as well as for productivity and costs,” says Katrin Maier, who now leads a team of eleven coworkers. 31-year-old Patrick Penninger has been part of the FACC Crew for ten years now and a member of the A320 fan cowls project team since he joined the company. “We have done some really good work in the last ten years. The fact that Airbus has entrusted one company with a key component of the A320 for so long is proof of the highest quality standards and a strong team,” says the German-born crew member, who now also lives in Schärding.

With FACC spirit all the way to VP
As the first project manager back in 1995, Kurt Pieringer shares responsibility for this long-term success: Innovative spirit and creativity were key to overcoming challenging obstacles in the early stages: “We traveled constantly to and fro between Ried, Vienna, and Turin to acquire the necessary expertise, collect individual specifications, and obtain approvals. Admittedly, we had no idea at the time how successful this project would become.” The A320 fan cowls are now also a prime example of the meanwhile legendary FACC spirit. Countless jobs have been created and secured over the last 20 years with this pioneering spirit. FACC currently finds itself in a similar phase. Thanks to market strength and the company’s excellent reputation, several major projects are currently being launched. They have created 200 new jobs in the Innviertel region. In this context, FACC is now seeking dedicated employees again to assist in making similar projects as successful as that for the A320 fan cowls.

About FACC
FACC AG is one of the world’s leading companies in the design, development and production of advanced fiber reinforced composite components and systems for the aviation industry. Their range of products reaches from structural components for the fuselage and wings to engine components to complete passenger cabins for commercial aircraft, business jets and helicopters. FACC is a supplier to all large aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, Sukhoi, and COMAC as well as for engine manufacturers and sub-suppliers of manufacturers.

In the 2014/15 business year FACC achieved an annual turnover of 528.9 million euros. The company employs a staff of around 2,800 employees in Austria. More information is available at www.facc.com.