European aircraft manufacturer Airbus inaugurated its second final assembly line for the A320 aircraft family, underscoring the company’s continued commitment to the China, its largest market. With preparations for assembling its first single-aisle jet underway, the new facility aims to become fully operational by early 2026. Amid global uncertainties, Airbus said it remains committed to its “in China, for China” strategy, a key initiative that helps strengthen the resilience of its supply chain. “We are committed to China, especially in the context of the deglobalization trend, and Airbus will continue to invest in China. The city of Tianjin has become an aviation powerhouse, said Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury. “The second line is reinforcing our presence in the Chinese market. It provides us with the necessary flexibility and capacity to deliver on our plan to assemble 75 A320 aircraft per month in 2027,” he said. Faury added that Airbus is ramping up production capacity across all its product lines.
The latest final assembly line is expected to double Airbus’ production capacity for the A320 aircraft series in Tianjin for delivery to both domestic and international carriers. Last year, 25% of the A320 aircraft series assembled on the company’s first final assembly line in Tianjin were delivered to foreign carriers. Noting that China’s industrial ecosystem is continuously advancing, Faury said the company plans to further develop and enhance its supply chain in China, as well as recruit more talent. Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met with Faury in Beijing during the Airbus CEO’s visit to China.
Airbus’ first A320 series final assembly line in China, which was inaugurated in Tianjin in 2008, was the company’s first commercial aircraft production facility outside Europe. To date, the Tianjin facility has assembled and delivered more than 780 aircraft of the A320 family, cementing its status as a symbol of successful Sino-European cooperation, according to Airbus. The new line complements Airbus’ global production network. The company now operates 10 final assembly lines for the A320 series globally. In addition to the two in Tianjin, it has four in Hamburg, Germany, two in Toulouse, France, and two in Mobile, Alabama, the U.S. Jorge Toledo, Ambassador of the European Union to China, called Airbus' assembly plant in Tianjin “one of the best and successful examples of China-Europe cooperation,” the China Daily reports.
