GKN celebrates Rolls-Royce and Airbus plane parts deals

Plane parts maker GKN will make components for Rolls-Royce and General Electric aircraft engines and parts for Airbus's new 350 XWB plane, it announced at the Farnborough Airshow today.

The company won a $300 million (£195.8 million) deal to make tail bearings for Rolls's Trent 700 and 1000 model engines at its El Cajon facility in California until 2020.

GKN also said it had signed a five-year deal worth $300 million with GE Aviation to supply aluminum and titanium components for a range of commercial and military aircraft engines.

The company also won two contracts to make composite parts for the landing flaps of the wings for EADS-owned Airbus's new wide-body A350 XWB plane.

GKN, which declined to give a value for the Airbus deal, said it would deliver the first components for the XWB's developmental flaps early next year.