Rani Awad

INTERVIEW| JIM LARWOOD
Thinking big
EVA talks to Jim Larwood, President, Kaman Aerosystems
T
he nearly two billion dollar turnover
Kaman Corporation is an engineering
powerhouse with interests
and expertise across a broad spectrum
of applications, from power
transmissions and bearings, to
airframe and rotor composites.
Founded by aviation pioneer Charles Huron
Kaman in 1945, Kaman is divided into two major
units Kaman Aerospace, focused on manufacture
and subcontracting for the global commercial,
general and military aerospace and defence markets;
and Kaman Industrial Distribution, which
targets the $35 billion power transmission and
motion control markets. Kaman Aerosystems is a
division of Kaman Aerospace that provides engineering
solutions for the military and general
aviation markets.
Jim Larwood, President of Kaman Aerosystems,
talked to EVA about the company’s expanding
role in providing engineering expertise, Global 8000, to manufacture the Fixed Leading
components and structures for the business aviation
market.
being manufactured in our Jacksonville, Florida
Edge (FLE) assemblies for both jets. These are
“We currently have a good deal of business in and Chihuahua, Mexico facilities,” Larwood comments.
“It is a project that we are delighted to
general aviation. In 2013, for example, we were
chosen by Triumph Aerostructures, who make be part of and it showcases our capabilities in
the wings for the Bombardier Global 7000 and precision manufacturing,” he adds.
At present, Kaman Aerosystems has a 60-
40 balance between military and commercial
projects, but Larwood points out that the aim
is to shift that fi rst to a 50-50 balance and
then to tip it 60-40 in favour of commercial
aviation. “About 18 months ago we set out to
ramp up our visibility and our ability to develop
new business in the general aviation space
and this initiative is already starting to bring
signifi cant rewards,” Larwood notes.
“The Aerosystems business really got going
about two and a half years ago. The goal was,
and is, to provide our OEM Tier One customers
with an opportunity to outsource complete packages
of work on a ‘one-stop-shop’ basis. We can
remove the hassle of managing multiple suppliers
through the many stages involved in procuring
outsourced manufacturing,” Larwood adds.
The way the industry normally works involves
multiple contracts with a range of suppliers. For
example, a source package might come from an
OEM like Boeing. It may have an engineering design
and data package, along with components,
assembly and test requirements. Kaman’s capabilities
allow it to manufacture all aspects of these
requirements within its facilities.
One of the company’s historic areas of expertise,
dating back to one of Charles Kaman’s most
significant projects, is in composite manufacturing.
Kaman was personally responsible for the
first composite helicopter rotor blade, and the
Purpose-built full turnkey facility
in Lancashire, UK – 64,000 sq
ft – providing innovative tooling
solutions and build-to-print services
40 International | Autumn 2015