Senior still upbeat on Dreamliner and JSF

29th Jun 2009 07:45

Aerospace and auto parts supplier Senior still expects significant growth from Boeing's new 787 "Dreamliner" aircraft despite the plane's recent problems.Senior, which cut a further 200 jobs in May and June to bring its total staff cuts since last September to 1,180, or 19% of the workforce, added that trading overall for the six months to 30 June was satisfactory, with profitability in line with expectations though the short-term outlook remains challenging.The second quarter saw an ongoing modest improvement in production of land vehicles outside of North America and a further weakening of the business jet market. The bankruptcy of General Motors and Chrysler in the period had little effect on the group, it said. Boeing recently identified the need to make a minor modification to the 787 aircraft, which has delayed its first flight, Senior said. However, Boeing does not currently expect the modification to impact the rate of production. Also, "Importantly for Senior, the US Government recently announced that the Joint Strike Fighter remains a high priority future military programme," it added.Following the most recent job cuts, the group's headcount was 4,795 at the end of May. Overall, no significant changes in headcount are expected for the remainder of the year.