Airbus has signed a definitive agreement to acquire industrial assets from Spirit AeroSystems.
The transaction aims to enhance supply stability for Airbus’ commercial aircraft programmes.
The completion of the acquisition is anticipated in the third quarter of 2025, pending regulatory approvals.
The announcement follows ongoing financial difficulties faced by Spirit AeroSystems, exacerbated by Boeing's 737 MAX programme issues.
The acquisition encompasses several key facilities, including the Kinston site in North Carolina and the St. Nazaire site in France, both of which manufacture fuselage sections for the A350.
The Casablanca site in Morocco, responsible for producing components for the A321 and A220.
Wichita, Kansas facilities which focus on A220 pylons production, as well as operations in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where wings and mid-fuselage parts for the A220 are produced.
Airbus will also take over wing component production for the A320 and A350 at the Prestwick site in Scotland.
Spirit AeroSystems plans to sell its Subang site in Malaysia to a third party.
The financial terms of the agreement have been adjusted to reflect these changes, in accordance with the terms outlined in the binding term sheet agreement announced on 1 July 2024.
Airbus set to receive $439m from Spirit AeroSystems, subject to adjustments at closing.
Additionally, Airbus has signed a memorandum of agreement (MoU) with Spirit AeroSystems, which includes a provision for non-interest bearing lines of credit totalling $200m to support Airbus programmes.
Meanwhile, politicians and unions are urging the government to prevent the breakup of Northern Ireland's largest manufacturing site, which employs around 3,000 people.
Unite, Britain's largest union, is calling on the government to protect jobs for its 2,000 non-Airbus workers, while the GMB union vowed to "fight tooth and nail" to safeguard positions at the 150-year-old facility, reported Reuters.
In March last year, Airbus confirmed that it was in early talks for the potential purchase of some parts of Spirit AeroSystems.
