China imports 12-16 wing-box trailers from Airbus

The Shanghai subsidiary of China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) has announced it will be importing between 12 - 16 butterfly wing-box trailers from Airbus, Shanghai Daily reported.

With plans to import the trailers in the coming years, CATIC Shanghai subsidiary has plans to use it for the transport of locally-made ARJ short-haul plane series and jumbo jets such as A320. The trailers will be used first for the Airbus 320 assembly line based in Binhai New Area of Tianjin, the company said.

According to the report, the Shanghai subsidiary has already transported one such trailer. The first domestically-manufactured Airbus A319 wing box that was carried in the trailers was placed for delivery in late July to Airbus by Xi'an Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of China Aviation Industry Corporation I.

The butterfly wing-box trailers are priced at about RMB 100 million. They are the largest Airbus aircraft component produced by a Chinese aviation manufacturer, and will be sent to the Airbus site in Broughton, Britain for system equipping, the report said.