The deal helps Rolls-Royce secure its rolling bearing supply chain until 2035, whereas Schaeffler is making an important step in its growth initiative by supporting Rolls-Royce with innovative products, R&D excellence and state-of-the-art manufacturing.
Schaeffler will be responsible for 100% of Rolls-Royce’s supply volume in Europe. The vast majority of the product portfolio will be manufactured at Schaeffler Aerospace in Schweinfurt, Germany. In addition, Schaeffler will support new development programmes with its expertise from simulation and design to manufacture and rig-testing, supporting the joint Rolls-Royce/Schaeffler technology roadmap.
The relationship between Rolls-Royce and Schaeffler dates back almost 40 years. In 2021, Schaeffler was added to Rolls-Royce's High Performance Supplier Group, marking it out as one of the company's leading suppliers. Schaeffler has also received the Best Practice Award from Rolls-Royce for its outstanding performance in the UltraFan® project, the latest development in engine technology geared to the future requirements of the aviation industry.
“We are very proud that a company as large and important as Rolls-Royce has committed itself to us with such a long-running contract. Our two companies have achieved so much together. This is not only down to our expertise and quality demands, but also our common understanding of how business developments must take place in the future”, explained Dr. Stefan Spindler, CEO Industrial at Schaeffler. “With our solutions we can contribute to the target of Zero Emissions in the aviation industry”, added Armin Necker, Managing Director at Schaeffler Aerospace Germany.
Building on the 12-year contract, intensified MRO activities (maintenance, repair and overhaul) are planned which will cover the supply of refurbished bearings. Refurbishment of bearings plays an important role in extending the lifecycles of product solutions and reducing CO2-emissions and in turn saving significant amounts of resources. Rolls-Royce and Schaeffler are both among the UN’s 50 sustainability & climate leaders.
Warrick Matthews, CPO of Civil Aerospace at Rolls-Royce, added: “Our goal is to consistently improve the supply chain of Rolls-Royce with a clear focus on the strong performance of our partners as well as the strict implementation of an eco-friendly, sustainable closed-loop economy. We're ideally placed to achieve both of these things with our High Performance Supplier, Schaeffler.”
"This success story is based on our trustful cooperation over the past years, which is driven by the dedication of the employees in both companies," said Necker. "Together, we will continue to pursue our ambitious goals for enhanced sustainability in the aviation sector and achieve them thanks to innovative products, manufactured and developed at our main location in Schweinfurt."
