Cheltenham-based GE Aviation has received the Airbus Best Performer award in Supply Chain & Quality Improvement.
Toulouse-based Airbus recognised a “sustained performance, strong continuous improvement and a customer-oriented approach,” from the GE Aviation Avionics team for 2019 performance.
“We have a strong collaborative relationship with Airbus that demands high standards in shipping quality product on time and consistently,” said Alan Caslavka, president of Avionics for GE Aviation. “This award recognizes the entire team for maintaining a customer-focused approach, while acting quickly to resolve any issues.”
The award relates to supplying Airbus with the datalink control and display unit (DCDU) which is fitted to the Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft. Produced in high volumes at GE Aviation’s Cheltenham facility, the site has supplied Airbus with more than 12,000 DCDUs since 1996.
The shared portal between Airbus and GE Aviation is a valuable collaboration tool that ensures both parties are simultaneously looking at the same data. Real-time data shared on the portal shows status for on-time delivery, shipments, quality, invoicing and returns, and the metrics shown in the portal are continually being expanded.
Caslavka continued, “A further building block to an open relationship is a robust business improvement plan that is shared with Airbus who can see that we invest in their product line as well as in people and processes to continuously improve delivery and quality.”
A GE Lean Laboratory approach stripped both the product and process back to basics and took a fresh look at both, in pursuit of a better, more streamlined and lean approach. The risk section of the plan results in early identification of external factors such as Brexit, over which neither party has any control, but that could result in supply chain issues. This offers the chance to make collaborative plans to mitigate external factors before they become significant.
GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of jet engines, avionics and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings. For more information, visit us at
