At the 2nd AIRCRAFT Supplier Summit, held on November 7-8, 2023, Deutsche Aircraft developed an influential presence with industry partners.  

The Summit took place close to the location where the Final Assembly Line (FAL) of the new D328eco® which will be built at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Some of the key topics from the event included:

• Shaping Future D328eco Aircraft Supply Chains
• Sustainability from Slow Seller to Bestseller
• Equipping the Factory of the Future

Deutsche Aircraft and industry partners join forces to shape the aircraft supply chain for the D328eco

As the event's host, Maximilian Fahr, Vice President Supply Chain at Deutsche Aircraft, welcomed industry partners and emphasised the importance of a robust supply chain in the aviation industry, as well as the critical role of creating an efficient ecosystem with suppliers.

During the panel on Shaping Future Eco Aircraft Supply Chains, our COO, Nico Neumann, discussed Deutsche Aircraft's ambition to become an industry flagship and explained how the OEM contributes to technology-enabled supplier collaboration by aiming to become a leader in sustainability and innovation in the aviation industry, with collaborating like-minded partners supporting Deutsche Aircraft's mission.

Regina Pouzolz, Director of Sustainability at Deutsche Aircraft, emphasised the importance of sustainability in the development of the D328eco, which will use Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF),followed by a transition to near zero-emission flying by exploring alternative propulsion systems that will shift aviation towards more carbon neutrality.

During the Equipping the Factory of the Future panel, Sebastian Böhnl, Director of Infrastructure & Digitalisation at Deutsche Aircraft, offered his thoughts on the future of manufacturing.  As the Final Assembly Line will become a one-of-a-kind manufacturing hall with an automated production line, the D328eco's construction will be facilitated. According to Böhnl, the next generation of holistic factory planning and digitalized process flows will be critical in the manufacturing flow.

One of the highlights of the summit was the awards ceremony which took place on the first day. The awards to recognised suppliers that are going the extra mile in their collaboration with Deutsche Aircraft. The following suppliers won in their respective categories:

Sustainable Excellence Partner for the D328eco programme: Pratt and Whitney Canada.

Best Engineering Services Supplier for the D328eco programme: Umlaut Engineering.

Best Supplier In-Service Support category: PMG Precision Mechanics

Best performer for the D328ecoprogramme: in 2023 Aciturri

New supplier on board for the Final Assembly Line

AIT/Nova-Tech Engineering was announced as the supplier for Fuselage Sections Handling and Positioning as well as Aircraft Transport and Positioning at the Final Assembly Line in Leipzig, where the D328eco will be manufactured. This agreement marks another milestone for the Deutsche Aircraft team.  

A fantastic opportunity for continuous collaboration

Overall, the 2023 AIRCRAFT Supplier Summit was a unique opportunity to network with decision-makers across the industry and a valuable forum for face-to-face discussions with strategic partners and suppliers.

Over two days, participants shared critical insights into building resilient supply chains, championing sustainability and harnessing the potential of technology.

Deutsche Aircraft continues to fuel inspiration for sustainable regional aviation by establishing strong relationships with industry partners to create a robust supply chain network.