The Derby-headquartered company’s annual report showed that turnover rose to £166 million in 2018, representing a 9 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
Gardner Aerospace has also performed well so far in 2019, with full-year turnover expected to be 33% higher than in 2018. These figures have been buoyed by the acquisition in July 2018 of County Durham-based Northern Aerospace, with the precision machined parts maker expected to contribute a quarter of the company’s sales this year.
“The global market for commercial aircraft looks very healthy, with demand for new airliners expected to more than double over the next 20 years,” he stated. “As a strategic supplier of finished components to Airbus and to a host of leading tier 1 manufacturers, we have secured a strong long-term position on many of the major programmes.”
Gardner Aerospace has continued to invest heavily in its production facilities, both in the UK and overseas. The company has constructed a new 45,000m2 facility in Chengdu, China, which will open in early 2020. It has also expanded its capability in Poland and India.
The company is also breaking new ground in terms of technology, having invested in new additive layer manufacturing equipment to complement its long-standing capabilities as a producer of metallic detailed parts and sub-assemblies. The first production run of 3D printed fixtures and parts is scheduled to take place by the end of 2019.
