GEORGE TOWN: Honeywell Aerospace, which has invested US$150 million (RM521 million) in its facility in Penang to date, accelerated by six months its production of integrated avionics systems for commercial, business and general aviation and military aircraft.
Instead of shipping out products in July as scheduled, Honeywell started shipping its first products in January this year from its plant on mainland Penang.
Neal Speranzo, Honeywell Aerospace vice-president of integrated supply chains, says production at the plant currently employing 500 people was way ahead of schedule. Though staff and training began only in mid-2008, the 500-odd staff have already clocked 30,000 hours of training both in the US and in Penang.
"Construction of the plant only began in May 2008 and was completed last December in record time. We started production way ahead of what we had initially scheduled. That is our first milestone and our second milestone will be to get the facility ready over the next three months to be operational at full pace," Speranzo said at a press conference which was attended by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Honeywell Aerospace president and CEO Tim Mahoney at the Penang International Airport.
Earlier, Lim was taken on a short trip aboard an aircraft fitted with avionics systems manufactured by Honeywell Aerospace.
Speranzo expressed confidence that, with the pace of production achieved, Honeywell would be able to meet the global demand for its products.
At present, 40,000 different components are made in Penang for use in commercial aviation systems.
"I believe our volumes will continue to grow. Eighty percent of our commercial aviation products will be from Penang and this will continue to grow as we will continue to add on additional products in Penang," he adds.
Speranzo says Penang would also produce the control systems for two new aircraft namely the Gulfstream G650 business jet and Boeing 787 jetliner.
"Once both the aircraft are certified and tested by the US Federal Aviation Administration, all the main products will be manufactured in Penang. Honeywell is hoping for the full-scale production to take off within the next two years. The Penang plant will be our central site for the avionic systems for all commercial aircraft," he adds.
The products being manufactured in Penang include automatic flight controls, electronic flight displays, navigation systems, flight-management systems, flight-reference sensors, surveillance and warning systems such as wind-shear detection and collision avoidance systems, weather radar, weight and balance systems, communications systems, safety- and flight-control systems and complex radio frequency systems and air data systems.
Meanwhile, Mahoney says the new facility joins the Honeywell network of more than 100 across the globe and served not only the region but the global aviation industry with premier avionics products.
"The avionics produced here are ultimately used every day on a wide range of planes built by every major aircraft manufacturer in the world. These avionics products help pilots safely navigate in flight and contribute to safer, more energy-efficient aircraft. Our Penang site is part of that mission," he added.
Headquartered in Phoenix Arizona, Honeywell is a leading provider of integrated avionics, engines, systems and service solutions for aircraft manufacturers, airlines, business and general aviation, military, space and airport operations.
Honeywell, with sales exceeding US$11 billion, employs more than 40,000 people in over 100 worldwide manufacturing and service sites.