Pilkington sells off aerospace division

Date: 20 October 2003
Source: Icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk

Date: 20 October 2003

Pilkington has sold a business that makes cockpit windows for fighter jets for £42m after getting the go-ahead from the Office of Fair Trading.

The St Helens-based firm announced earlier this year that it planned to sell its aero-space division, which produces glass and plastic "transparencies" for use in aircraft canopies and windows in the military and civilian markets, to engineering giant GKN.Redditch-based GKN said the acquisition would enlarge its presence on some of the world's key aircraft programmes, particularly in the US.As well as FA-18 Hornets, Pilkington Aerospace has made cockpit windows for the military C-17 transport plane.It also has a contract to develop and supply the canopy for the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.The division employs 500 staff at sites in the Midlands, California and Brazil and all employees have switched to GKN following clearance from the UK government.Pilkington group chief executive Stuart Chambers said: "This disposal is consistent with our strategy of concentrating on our core building products and automotive businesses and further strengthens the group's financial position."Pilkington has sold a business that makes cockpit windows for fighter jets for £42m after getting the go-ahead from the Office of Fair Trading.

The St Helens-based firm announced earlier this year that it planned to sell its aero-space division, which produces glass and plastic "transparencies" for use in aircraft canopies and windows in the military and civilian markets, to engineering giant GKN.

Redditch-based GKN said the acquisition would enlarge its presence on some of the world's key aircraft programmes, particularly in the US.

As well as FA-18 Hornets, Pilkington Aerospace has made cockpit windows for the military C-17 transport plane.

It also has a contract to develop and supply the canopy for the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The division employs 500 staff at sites in the Midlands, California and Brazil and all employees have switched to GKN following clearance from the UK government.

Pilkington group chief executive Stuart Chambers said: "This disposal is consistent with our strategy of concentrating on our core building products and automotive businesses and further strengthens the group's financial position."
600450 Pilkington sells off aerospace division glassonweb.com

See more news about:

Others also read

MORE...

Southwall Technologies Secures New Bank Loan and Equity Financing Agreement Led by Needham & Company
Southwall Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:SWTX), a global developer, manufacturer and marketer of thin-film coatings for the electronic display, automotive glass and architectural markets, today announced that on Dec. 18, 2003, it secured an agreement for a new bank loan guarantee and equity financing package of up to $7.5 million from Needham & Company, Inc., its affiliates and Dolphin Asset Management.
Emirates Glass wins major deals
Local quality glass producer Emirates Glass Limited has won contracts to supply 68,000 square metres of its high quality EmiCool glass to five major projects in Dubai.
Micro-Tek Canada, Inc. and Co-Ventures in Glass Containers, Ltd.
Co-Ventures in Glass Containers (CVIGC, Ltd.) of Tampa, Florida, USA and Micro-Tek Canada, Inc. Of Toronto, Canada are excited to announce the beginning of a long term joint venture to combine their extensive experiences and resources to offer the Glass Container Industry globally a best value alternative for all their outsourcing needs in manufacturing, operations and technical assistance agreements, specifically targeted to the smaller manufacturers who have found the larger service companies to be cost and profit prohibitive.The principals of the two companies have found a global need for smaller glass companies who require excellent technical resources to properly compete within the industry without the high costs of employing their own staffs or outsourcing their requirements to the larger service companies whose own operating costs and overhead are substantial.
Autoglass maker dumps dumping charges
China's largest automobile glass maker Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co, Ltd, won its case against the dumping ruling of the US Department of Commerce (DOC).
History of Glass Wine Bottles
When did the wine industry start using glass bottles, and how did they settle on their current size of 750ml? For the answer to these questions, you have to go back in time - back thousands of years to when wine was first cultivated and enjoyed.
Praxair's Specialty Gases Plant Attains New ISO 9000 Standard
Praxair, Inc. (NYSE: PX) today announced that its subsidiary Praxair Canada Inc.'s specialty gases plant in Paris, Ontario, Canada, is one of Praxair's first specialty gases plants in North America to complete the upgrade to ISO 9001:2000, the latest ISO 9000 standard for quality.

Add new comment