Cabin supplier, Soisa Aircraft Interiors, has announced major moves in its international expansion, with a new facility in Dubai, expanded operations in Mexico – and new orders. The company specialises in cabin upholstery, including seat dress covers and cushions, curtains, carpets, insulation panels, acoustic panels, and VIP seats.
Soisa currently provides upholstery and assembly services to more than 100 airlines worldwide and partners with all major seat OEMs from its base in Chihuahua, Mexico. The company has expanded its global manufacturing capabilities with the new Dubai facility, which will have a capacity of approximately 10 shipsets per month and will serve clients in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Asia.
This nearshoring strategy is intended to benefit customers such as Etihad, Emirates and FlyDubai, with improved logistics, shorter lead times for materials, and reduced turn-around-times and cost efficiencies.
The expansion into Dubai has helped Soisa release capacity in Chihuahua for future projects, with an additional 30% open space now available. Soisa is now looking for further opportunities to provide additional integrated products for its business partners.
A Soisa employee at the Dubai facility making an aircraft seat cover
Expanded seat subassembly capabilities in Chihuahua
Continuing Soisa’s nearshoring strategy, the company has also expanded its capabilities to offer more seat subassembly capability at its facility in Chihuahua, Mexico, with a plan to further expand its services.
The expansion of its capabilities, enabled by shifting some capacity to Dubai, will see the company provide turnkey solutions for OEMs, including CNC routing of composites panels, foams, sewing of leather and fabric, and lamination. A notable project at the revamped facility was the undertaking the first phase transfer of a business-class console within three months.
Jacobo Mesta, CEO of Soisa, said: “We’re focused on helping our customers to meet their operational needs, and a significant element of that will always be cost. By nearshoring services for worldwide suppliers and OEMs and bringing their operations to Chihuahua, we anticipate that, on average, we will be able to offer a 40% cost reduction of their operation compared to outsourcing different elements to additional suppliers.”
“By providing a comprehensive range of assembly services, we are creating a one-stop-shop which will directly benefit our US-based customers. We have invested in our people, and we have the skilled workforce to provide a competitive solution to the market.”
In addition to its in-house capability expansion, Soisa will draw on skills within the Chihuahua cluster to provide complete assembly services such as metals, chemical and heat treatment, with in-house plastic thermoforming manufacturing to follow.
A big order from Avalon
In other news at Soisa Aircraft Interiors, the company has secured a seat cover supply contract with aircraft leasing giant, Avolon. The initial order will be for Spectrum model seats on Avolon’s Boeing B787-900 Dreamliners, with the potential for further future orders.
Soisa has also confirmed an ESG initiative with Avolon, to support the local community in the Chihuahua region. The companies have been working together on an initiative to work with the artisan cooperative of the Tarahumara tribe in Chihuahua. Using seat covers and curtains from old Avolon aircraft, the materials are transformed into traditional, saleable goods such as handmade wallets and bags. The goods are then sold in the local markets.
Mesta said if the project: “This is a fantastic initiative designed to not only recycle used serviceable material from the interior of the aircraft, but also to upskill the local community and boost the economy. We are not just focused on the E, but also the S and the G. Our partnership with Avolon has made this possible and together we are committed to improving supply chain sustainability within the aviation industry.”
