Boeing and Norsk Titanium Selected as Winner of Aviation Week Network’s Annual Laureate Awards

NEW YORK, NY — January 22, 2018 — Aviation Week & Space Technology has announced that Boeing and Norsk Titanium (Norsk) have been selected as a winner of the 61st Annual Laureate Awards, honoring extraordinary achievements in the global aerospace arena. The winners of the 2018 Laureate Awards will be honored on March 1, 2018 at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. and at that time a Grand Laureate will be announced in each of the four categories.

Boeing and Norsk were selected as a winner in the category of Commercial, Supplier Innovation for qualifying the first additively manufactured structural titanium parts for a commercial aircraft. Earlier this year, Norsk announced its first production order from Boeing Commercial Airplanes for the manufacture of 3D-printed structural titanium components for the 787 Dreamliner.

“The delivery of these first parts represents significant progress for additive manufacturing: qualification with the OEM, certification with the FAA, and the ability to transition to production and meet customer cost, quality and delivery expectations. Norsk Titanium delivering on a significantly reduced timeline further signals the ancillary cost benefits that customers may realize with additive manufacturing: lead time reduction, lower inventory requirements, and future spare parts continuity assurances,” said Norsk Titanium Chairman & Chief Executive Officer John Andersen.

“Additive manufacturing is a highly disruptive capability that will support Boeing’s success in our second century of aerospace innovation,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes Fabrication Vice President and General Manager and Boeing Additive Manufacturing leader Kim Smith. “By working closely with the FAA and our suppliers, Boeing is forging a path for the design and certification of additively manufactured flyaway parts for the aerospace industry. This technology will enable us to offer our customers more cost competitive products customized to meet their needs, faster than ever before.”

“We are honored to be recognized for our work with Boeing to achieve this milestone,” continued Andersen. “The Aviation Week Network’s Laureates Awards have a long history of recognizing the very best in the industry and we are thrilled to win this distinction.”

“Boeing, Norsk Titanium and all of the winners were selected by Aviation Week Network editors who reviewed dozens of nominations, embody the spirit of exploration, innovation and vision that will inspire others to strive for broad-reaching progress in aviation, aerospace and defense,” said Aviation Week & Space Technology Editor-in-Chief Joseph C. Anselmo. “We look forward to honoring them all, and announcing the Grand Laureates on March 1.”
  
The award categories are Business Aviation, Commercial, Defense and Space.  In addition, Aviation Week & Space Technology will bestow two Philip J. Klass Awards for Lifetime Achievement.  Four cadets and midshipmen from U.S. military academies will be recognized as Tomorrow’s Leaders, honoring young men and women who have chosen career paths in the armed forces.