Embraer’s New Portugal Composites Facility Ships First Legacy 500 Empennage

mbraer has completed the first shipset in composite material in its Embraer Compósitos factory in Évora, Portugal. This first part, a Legacy 500 empennage, has been shipped to Embraer headquarters in São José dos Campos, Brazil.

"As serial production of the new Legacy 500 aircraft approaches, the completion and shipment of this first empennage from Portugal to Brazil represents a major and important milestone for Embraer and a great achievement by the whole Embraer Compósitos team,” said Paulo Marchioto, President of Embraer Portugal and Board member at Embraer Compósitos. “With close support from Brazil, the team at Embraer Compósitos has demonstrated great skill allowing us, in a very short time since inauguration, to deliver such a sophisticated part.”

In full compliance with the requirements set by Embraer headquarters, the empennage is made mainly of carbon fibre parts. It was assembled in a semi-automatic line in one of two Embraer plants in Évora, allowing for higher efficiency in operations like drilling and riveting of primary structures made in composite.

“This first delivery from Évora is a landmark in Embraer’s globalization strategy and our activities in Europe, reflecting our commitment to call on local expertise to support us in the development and manufacturing of our products,” added Hélio Bambini, Vice President, Embraer Industrial Operations.

Embraer announced Évora as the chosen location for Embraer Compósitos in 2008. The new center was completed and inaugurated in September 2012, together with Embraer Metálicas, also in Évora. With 37,100 and 31,800-square meters respectively, Embraer Metálicas and Embraer Compósitos will reach full production capacity during the second quarter of 2013.