Rolls-Royce commits to Derby for the Trent XWB

Derby, U.K. – Rolls-Royce management has announced that Derby will be the production center for the Trent XWB aero engine for widebody aircraft. More than 1,500 of the engines have been sold to 40 customers to date. It is the sole power plant available for the Airbus A350 XWB.

 

Rolls-Royce has invested around 30 million GBP expanding its Derby Assembly & Test Facility and installing new equipment, in order to meet customer demand for the engine. Over the next three to four years, Trent XWB production will grow to over 300 engines a year – the equivalent of one every working day – and will stay at that level for several years. The majority of these engines will be built in Derby. The engine is expected to be in service for many years, creating an annuity of aftermarket services that will generate revenues for decades to come.

 

Almost ten years ago, Rolls-Royce made its commitment to Airbus that it would develop a new engine for its latest wide-body aircraft. Work on the engine began in 2006 and it is ready to power the first A350 XWB aircraft to be delivered to launch customer Qatar Airways.

 

Tony Wood, Rolls-Royce, president - Aerospace said: "The Trent XWB engine is fundamental to the future growth of Rolls-Royce. It accounts for half of our civil aerospace order book, before the Airbus A350 XWB has even entered commercial service. That is a great vote of confidence in our abilities at Rolls-Royce."

 

Eric Schulz, Rolls-Royce, president - Civil Large Engines, said "We have implemented a range of new technologies in this program, to make the Trent XWB the world’s most efficient engine flying today, and it is the bedrock for our future programs. Customers have responded very strongly to what we have to offer, making the Trent XWB the fastest-selling widebody engine ever."

 

Simon Burr, Rolls-Royce, director - Trent XWB program added: "Many of the team who have been crucial to [the Trent XWB's] development are based in Derby and it is great news for them, the local area, and the wider U.K. economy that Rolls-Royce will build the bulk of the engines here."

 

More than 10,000 people worldwide – academics, researchers, Rolls-Royce engineers, supply chain partners, and other third parties – have contributed to the Trent XWB program over the years to get it to a position where it is ready to power the first commercial flights of the Airbus A350 XWB.

 

The Trent XWB includes technology developed in partnership with Rolls-Royce’s network of University Technology Centers (UTCs). For example, seven UTCs in the U.K. were involved in the development of the swept fan blade. The Trent XWB is the result of work across 16 manufacturing plants and 11 engineering and testing facilities, as well as work with 12 engineering partners and 75 supply chain partners.