Executives from French aircraft manufacturer Airbus were in Kalamazoo on October 24 to celebrate 50 years of partnership with the Kalamazoo-based hydraulic systems wing of Parker Aerospace.
Though the event had “50 years along with Airbus” emblazoned around the venue, speakers noted that Parker has actually been supplying Airbus with parts for longer than that.
“I heard a lot of reference to the year 1972 having been the first Airbus flight with a Parker product on it. So, I think that's 50 plus years, actually. But anyway, with COVID, a lot of things are still taking the time to go back to normal,” said Airbus North America CEO and President Robin Hayes.
Hayes and other executives from Airbus and Parker celebrated with workers at the Kalamazoo factory, which produces hydraulic parts for aircrafts. During his speech Hayes lauded the hard work of employees, which he said is especially crucial to ensuring safety.
“It's very important that we as Airbus come here and thank not just the companies that we're working with, but all the employees that work for them. They are the miracle workers every day, their commitment to come to work to focus on quality, focus on safety,” Hayes said.
During his speech at the event, Hayes pointed out the recognizable sound that many Airbus planes make when the engines start up or shut down that’s often compared to a “barking dog”.
“It's the power transfer unit moving the hydraulic system around to balance the pressure. And what do you need to do to balance pressure? You need pumps!” Hayes said. “And where are those made? They are made here. So, the work that you do is heard every day by everyone or almost everyone who gets on an Airbus every day.”
The event also highlighted the several generations of family members that currently work or have worked at the plant. Matthew Bates is the general manager of Parker Aerospace’s hydraulic systems division. He said the strong workforce at the plant is a crucial aspect of forming close partnerships.
“Anytime an aircraft flies, we've got friends, we got families, we've got our military personnel are flying in these aircraft, and we want to make sure that we have the most qualified employees assembling, testing, and shipping this product out to our customers,” Bates said.
The event included cake, several speakers, Airbus goodie bags, a congratulatory proclamation from Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and an appearance from Kalamazoo Mayor David Anderson to present a key to the city dedicated to all Parker Aerospace employees.
