On Feb. 06, the Boeing Company announced it has entered into an agreement with India-based TAL Manufacturing Solutions Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors Ltd., for manufacturing structural components for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner airplane program.

Under the agreement, TAL Manufacturing Solutions will build floor beams for the 787 using new technology with advanced titanium and composite materials. These floor beams will be used on the 787 Dreamliner and provide for a best-value solution and significant weight savings. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"Boeing is proud to welcome Tata into its family of world-class aerospace suppliers and we are confident that this partnership will help Boeing and Tata leverage mutual best-value capabilities," said Carolyn Corvi, vice president and general manager of Airplane Programs for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "This partnership between Boeing and Tata will further increase the value of the 787 to our customers, helping make it the world's leading commercial airplane."

The floor beams for the 787 airplane will be produced at TAL's new facility in Nagpur, India, and then transported to Boeing partners in Japan, Italy and the United States for further assembly.

"The production of Boeing's structural components by TAL indicates technical and manufacturing excellence within the Group," said Ravi Kant, chairman, TAL and managing director, Tata Motors Ltd. "We believe that this agreement has the potential to develop into a more broad-based alliance that would enable both organizations to utilize the best and most competitive resources within themselves and thereby offer greater value to customers."

"TAL already has an established reputation in state-of-the-art precision engineering. The agreement with Boeing allows us to open yet another frontier," said Atam P Arya, managing director, TAL. "This would be a turning point for the Indian manufacturing industry to gain a footprint in the global aerospace business."

"The Boeing-Tata partnership is strong and growing, and forms an important part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen both our presence in India and our strategic relationships with Indian industry," said Ian Thomas, president, Boeing India. "We are pursuing a host of growth and productivity initiatives in India and remain deeply committed to the success of India's aerospace sector."

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the world's first mostly composite commercial airplane, will use 20 percent less fuel per passenger than similarly sized airplanes, produce fewer carbon emissions, and will have quieter takeoffs and landings. To date, the 787 has logged more than 855 orders from more than 55 customers worldwide since program launch in 2004, making the Dreamliner the most successful commercial airplane launch in history.

Boeing's history in India reaches back more than 60 years, marked by success in working with airline customers, parts suppliers, research institutes and others to provide products and services. Boeing Commercial Airplanes' annual Current Market Outlook projects that India will need approximately US$86 billion worth of aircraft over the next 20 years. In December 2003, Boeing established a wholly-owned subsidiary, Boeing International Corporation India Private Limited (BICIPL), to support the growing demands of India's aviation, aerospace and defense industries.