Farnborough bears fruit for Group Rhodes

The Chinese company purchased a Rhodes 1,200 tonne Super Plastic Forming/Diffusion Bonding (SPF/DB) press which will be used to produce equipment and components for new civil aircraft. This is to be the seventh Rhodes SPF/DB press sold into China over the last five years.

The Rhodes SPF/DB press is specifically designed for the high temperature forming of titanium and aluminium alloys. The low density and high strength to weight ratio of these alloys places them at the forefront of the race to achieve greener, more fuel efficient aerospace technologies.

In 2010 the company was awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category, for its range of SPF/DB machinery, and in 2012 gained the same honour for International Trade.

Other recent contract wins include a £2.5 million order from Hindustan Aeronautics in India for a 10,600 tonne polymer die press. Measuring 4m wide x 3m deep x 8m high and weighing in excess of 136 tonnes, it will produce components for both civil and military aircraft.

Group Rhodes, managing director, Mark Ridgway commented: “We had to overcome fierce international competition to win these latest orders. It was our track record in supplying innovative and state-of-the-art machinery that provided our customers with the confidence to place the business with us.” Lord Green, Minister of State for Trade and Investment (left) congratulated Mark Ridgeway on the deal at Farnborough.
Group Rhodes
www.grouprhodes.com