TRB Lightweight Structures has gained AS9100 (BS EN 9100) aerospace accreditation, adding to the International Railway Industry Standard (IRIS) and ISO 9001 certifications already in place. AS9100 is an industry-recognized standard of quality and risk management for the aerospace and defense industry, aimed at improving service standards and product reliability.
With a history of providing solutions for transportation, especially for the rail market, obtaining AS9100 is part of a long-term strategic investment program by TRB Lightweight Structures in the aerospace sector, both in the UK and globally. Additional capacity and new capabilities in the design and manufacture of lightweight composite materials have been added by TRB over the last 12 months. Recent investments for manufacturing composites include the procurement of a new 3 x 1.5m autoclave system, designed and manufactured to meet the requirements of PD 5500, as well as the installation of a purpose-built 4,000ft² clean room to ISO 14644 classification standards.
“As specialists in the design and engineering of lightweight composite solutions, we enjoy the challenges that the aerospace industry provides,” said Richard Holland, managing director of TRB. “Obtaining AS9100 now allows us to extend our expertise as an end-to-end service provider further into the heart of this demanding industry, as well as improving our service to existing customers in aerospace and defense. In the last 12 months, in addition to putting in place additional composites capabilities, we’ve been on a journey that has seen us implement many improvements across the business to raise quality and drive down costs. A key focus on production efficiency means that we are now able to offer significantly reduced lead times. As a result, we’re currently in the process of negotiating new contracts with a number of aerospace customers and we expect more to come onboard now that we are AS9100 approved.”
