Speaking of metal suppliers…

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, January 18, 2006

… Boeing has locked in an aluminum supplier for the 787 — Alcan, the Canadian aluminum giant. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8F7RFUO7.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_down&chan=db

Why does Boeing need an aluminum supplier for a plastic airplane? While the major exterior structures will be made from the fiberglass-like material, the 787 won’t be 100-percent composites — only about half, by weight. Boeing says about 20 percent of the plane will be aluminum.