Nigel Patrick Garner, Garner GCT
Release Date: 2009-03-09
In the midst of the financial crisis, some feel because of the industry’s long-term focus, there is little cause for concern, while others are less calm. What is your assessment from GCT’s perspective?For GCT, it’s not too bad to be honest, because the company is more focused on the aircraft development cycle, and there’s one just starting with the A350. GCT is very fortunate in that respect, that the recession has come at a time where development has to continue. Boeing is now going into the 787-9 series of airplanes, and then maybe into another development cycle, so GCT anticipates no problems for the next three or four years.
In 2002, GCT hit a rough patch with the insolvency of Fairchild-Dornier, but coming through to the present day, what have been some of the milestones and achievements of the company in diversifying its client base to avoid a similar occurrence?
One of the major ones was winning the Boeing 787 program, where GCT teamed up with PFW and took quite a lead role with them, winning the complete design and integration, and PFW the manufacturing of all the tubing of the whole airplane. Parallel with that, GCT also worked with Israel Aircraft Industries on the same make-up, not on tubing but structures, and did the design for the horizontal tailplane and the rear fuselage doors. The 787 was a significant project with IAI, and because GCT did a good job, Boeing took the company on directly in June 2006, resulting in quite large contracts with Boeing through offices in Seattle just outside Everett, and here in Germany with an entire floor of our facilities dedicated to Boeing.
Airbus’ recent move to Tianjin has created anticipation of its suppliers in turn. As an engineering design firm, what is the motivation for GCT to join the fold? Being a more intellectual vs. manufacturing enterprise, does this mean GCT can afford to remain in Europe longer?
In the past, I did not envisage GCT moving to China. One reason I went to China in 2004 was looking to take advantage of more economic resources, after being put under extreme pressure from Airbus in addition to offset issues. I went to China and was very impressed with what was going on there, and could see the advantages in manufacturing, but in design areas I was concerned about possible language difficulties. I have enough problems with German, let alone with translations to a multitude of engineers. I’ve always said GCT has got to go to China, but we don’t know how and when.
You’re at least going for airshows…
Now PFW has established a facility in China, there is a 150-seat aircraft program through COMAC, and Airbus has a final assembly line, so there is the need for some form of engineering to be done on-site. Still, at present I’m not sure how to do it all. I’ve got no problems with intelligence or education levels, but communication is still a problem, although since I haven’t been in a few years I’m hoping for a positive pleasant surprise upon my return.
Although you’re not sure exactly how it will pan out, what does China mean for GCT right now?
In Europe, work is slowly but surely moving abroad because of cost issues, and GCT must move with it. We will be opening up a design office in China – it’s not a matter of if, but how and when. GCT will be looking for economic resource, like we have in our Indian offices, and the main reason we went to India was the language advantage.
It will become design and build in China. For example, Bombardier has already moved on the new C-series aircraft, and GCT won a contract the first time they did the C-series, to help them with the partner they had in China to work with their engineers. GCT has to learn with the culture differences, but at the end of the day engineering is engineering. Especially with the modern tools of today, GCT is very much ahead, using CATIA version 5, soon to be version 6. The main concern about moving to China is IP, and that’s not being negative towards China, it’s an issue everywhere. Again, one must understand how to control IP issues, especially given strict contracts with Airbus and Boeing and indeed all our customers on IP.
Partnerships with PFW, technological advantages with software; what other reasons put GCT as the partner of choice for a Chinese company?
It’s also experience with respect to doing design and build programs. Many people talk about it and say they’re going to do it, but it’s much more difficult than first realized. To actually produce a structure in composite from a white piece of paper so it can fly safely and get it out on time is difficult. Program management is the biggest challenge, and necessitates bringing together all manner of communication.
You’ve been in the industry for quite some time, and at GCT since you founded it 14 years ago. How would you characterize your management style?
I try to be open, and tell the company exactly where we are. GCT is very customer and project-orientated, and strongly believes that if every project is doing well, the company is doing well, both commercially and on the design side. GCT has a very good relationship with customers, and tries to keep that personal relationship going on a professional basis. GCT is very high-end IT orientated, and if you go around you’ll see laptops directly into customer accounts with high security. GCT is not scared of a challenge, and is good at putting the jigsaw puzzle together as well; for example Boeing requires 2,170 tubes to be delivered worldwide. GCT is not only involved in design, but from the very beginning right to the end of the product, which is important because the life of a tube is at 30+ years, and probably even longer in the case of converting an aircraft into a freighter.
From the engineering design side, you mentioned it works on a different cycle than the rest of the industry, and we’re at the start of a new cycle now. Looking forward five or 10 years well into the cycle, where do you want to bring GCT?
To best face the future, that’s why we’re teaming up with PFW more and more; it’s design and build, so when the design goes down we need to have a strong partner with us going forward for the next phase. I’m hopeful for the two new programs coming down the road on the commercial side: the replacement of the single-aisle A320 and 737. I know they’ve been waiting for new engines, but one of them will jump on it in a few years’ time. The A350 and 787 are very exciting, because the new A350s are digging into the end of the 777, so now I’m sure Boeing is looking at the 777 to protect that side of the market.
Also, GCT must diversify, after learning lessons from Fairchild-Dornier. Airbus and Boeing are great, but we’ve also been selected as what is called an E2S supplier (Engineering Supplier Synergy), to all the EADS companies, all over Europe. That’s part of GCT’s challenge now. We have put a small team together to ensure we get more of the EADS customers, and it’s the same case in America, especially now that we’ve got a foothold with Boeing. This is in addition to getting in on the 150-seater with COMAC.
What do you expect from participating in your numerous upcoming Chinese conferences?
The biggest expectations are around meeting all the correct technical people on the new 150-seat aircraft, and to win a design and build for PFW whether in structures or tubing. Beyond that, it will be a matter of getting GCT to become an engineering supplier, because we have one other advantage here which brings the cycle back together. The reason GCT works on the 328 is at the beginning of 2006, GCT took over the Airworthiness Authority of the 328. There are only seven left in Europe for large airplanes, and GCT counts itself among much larger company in the likes of Airbus, British Aerospace, Aerospatiale, Fokker, and Saab. GCT has 50 people looking after the airworthiness of that aircraft in service, as the focal point for any AOGs or problems with the aircraft. With any damage we must do repair kits very quickly, and have 37 CVEs (formerly DRE – Design Responsible Engineers) which provide signature authority for whether an aircraft can fly or not. GCT does a lot of VIP work as well, with some of the 30-seater airplanes come flying into here and GCT providing a complete new interior, extended range tanks with a brand new fuel system, and at the end, we provide a flight test pilot who can sign off and deliver it to the customer. This last area is another GCT has entered in the last few years, and would like to see much more of in the future. GCT is talking to a large OEM for agreements with one of their airplanes in the future, and the hope is to diversify there to provide a further leg to stand on.
What is your final message to the array of Chinese readers, from the technical individuals to government, on GCT and your ambitions towards their country?
First of all, China is a fantastic country with unlimited potential. I am very excited indeed, about working in China along with our Chinese aerospace colleagues. For sure we will learn from the experience but GCT brings a lot of experience to the table about how to design & build and bring an aircraft into service. As a service company, we can understand and help from the first phase. Initial specs on the aircraft is where it all goes wrong from day one. You’ve got to pick the right partners who have a lot of experience and have proven themselves especially over these past years, because development cycles have become a lot quicker. One needs to know how to use common sense, and it’s even harder today because computers are very quick, and it’s very easy to make changes on computers, but the people on the shop floor are bound by more physical constraints. At the end of the day, a piece of metal or composite is what it is, and there’s got to be a common sense balance. GCT has learned the hard way in the last few years with the A380 and 787, and I think we can bring that experience to China. GCT will learn how to work with our Chinese colleagues and with the help of HPL/ PFW opening up over there; they will guide us in the right way.
| Company: | Garner GCT |
| Position: | Managing Director and Founder |
| Country: | Germany |