Top supply-chain executives from Boeing and Airbus warned at MRO Europe 2025 that the aerospace parts base needs both replenishment and new entrants to ease pressure on production and aftermarket repair cycles. Speaking on an Oct. 15 panel, William Ampofo of Boeing Global Services said capacity must be added and “new entrants are going to have to be stood up.” Richard Stoddard of Satair/ Airbus echoed the challenge, noting certification and capital hurdles make new suppliers hard to start.
Their comments come as OEMs accelerate narrow-body production to address airline backlogs, while ageing aircraft and higher maintenance demand increase shop-turn volumes and parts consumption. Aviation Week captured the panel remarks and the focus on “pain parts,” including flight-deck windows, fasteners and complex structural components, that are vulnerable to single-source exits.
Why Airbus Boeing execs say more suppliers needed
- Production ramp meets MRO demand: Airbus and Boeing are increasing rates to catch up with airline demand, which raises both new-build part requirements and spares for older fleets. That creates a two-front squeeze on the supply base.
- Pain-parts problem: Ampofo cited items such as flight-deck windows where a supplier exit left the market with a single source, a fragile setup that heightens risk for production or maintenance disruptions. The panel noted shortages ranging from simple fasteners to highly engineered components.
- Used Serviceable Material (USM) as partial mitigation: Both OEMs and MROs are expanding USM activity to keep parts flowing, but Broderick warns the approach can’t fully substitute for new-production capacity.
Cross-checks and industry context
- Airbus acknowledges progress but flags limits: Airbus told investors and the press it sees supply progress, but also admits some supplier concerns remain as it targets higher production rates. That corporate position aligns with the panel’s “capacity” framing.
- Supplier perspectives vary: Honeywell and aluminium supplier Constellium report pockets of recovery in electronics and some materials, but note other constraints persist (labour, superalloys, castings). This mixed read supports the article’s nuance: improvements exist, but capacity gaps remain.
- MRO Europe as thermometer: The conference agenda, podcasts and panels (Aviation Week coverage) repeatedly emphasised lead-time and TAT pressures, reinforcing the article’s central theme that supply-base capacity is an immediate industry concern.
Risks, remedies and barriers
- Why new entrants are hard: Stoddard explained that certification complexity, long lead times and high capital costs deter startups in regulated parts markets (actuation systems, gear, flight controls). That makes expanding capacity non-trivial.
- Short-term fixes: OEMs and MROs will continue to:
- Increase USM pools and shared inventory.
- Improve forecasting and transparency with suppliers to make investment cases clearer.
- Consider dual-sourcing critical items where feasible.
- Longer-term solutions: Investment incentives, public-private partnerships for key materials (superalloy forging, specialty castings), and expanded training to relieve labour bottlenecks will be necessary to create meaningful new capacity.
Quick timeline
- Oct 14–16, 2025: MRO Europe convenes in London; panels highlight TAT, USM and supply-chain lag.
- Oct 15, 2025: William Ampofo and Richard Stoddard speak publicly about supply capacity and the need for new suppliers at a panel; Aviation Week reports their remarks Oct. 16.
- Oct 2025: Airbus reports supply progress but notes sustainability concerns as it pursues higher monthly rates. Suppliers report partial improvements in electronics but ongoing constraints in some materials.
Caveats & verification notes
- Aviation Week reports one specific example, a supplier exit affecting flight-deck windows, but the article does not name the supplier. That panel testimony merits independent verification (supplier announcements or procurement notices) before citing as fact. Otherwise, the article’s broad claims are corroborated by OEM statements and supplier reporting.
What’s next? Industry outlook
- Near term (3-12 months): Expect OEMs to publish more detailed supplier roadmaps, MROs to expand USM pools, and some aftermarket contracts to be renegotiated to prioritise lead-time assurance. Watch Airbus and Boeing supplier updates and MRO Europe follow-ups.
- Medium term (12-36 months): Investment cases may bring new capacity in selected niches (fasteners, certain composites), but high-value system suppliers will remain hard to displace unless incentives or partnerships emerge.
- Policy angle: Governments that want resilient aviation ecosystems may weigh incentives for strategic suppliers (forgings, superalloys) as part of industrial policy, expect discussion in national aerospace strategy forums.
Sources & further reading
- Aviation Week Network, Airbus, Boeing Execs Say More Suppliers Needed, Sean Broderick, 16 Oct 2025.
- Reuters, Airbus sees supply progress, Spirit deal to close in fourth quarter, 13 Oct 2025 (context on Airbus supply progress).
- Reuters, Honeywell coverage, supplier commentary on supply-chain dynamics, Oct 2025.
- Reuters, Constellium / supplier comments, industry view on supply improvement and remaining constraints, Jun–Oct 2025.
- Aviation Week podcasts and MRO Europe programming, broader session context.
