Triumph Group - Aerospace Components

Triumph Group, Inc. is an international supplier of aerospace components and systems. Based in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, USA, Triumph engineers, designs, and manufactures aircraft components, systems and accessories. Several services and products are offered through three of their operating organizations, Triumph Aerospace Systems Group, Triumph Aerostructures and Triumph Aftermarket Services Group.

Triumph Group serves original equipment manufacturers of regional, commercial, military and business aircraft and components, as well as air cargo carriers and regional and commercial airlines.

History

1980s

Triumph Group was formerly one of the companies in Alco Standard Corporation, a loose conglomerate of diversified companies that operated across a large number of unrelated fields, including office supplies. By the latter half of the decade, officers of Alco Standard Corporation were concentrating on office supplies, paper products and food services, their three core competencies. The former was the fastest growing market for the company.

In 1986, Alco was considering selling Triumph Group and its distribution businesses, the former of which competed in the aerospace industry and earned just under 3% of Alco Standard's revenue.

1990s

In addition to its aerospace factions, Triumph also had a stake in the U.S. steel industry. Because customers were becoming more demanding with respect to product quality, Alco Standard formed a new organization named Alco Diversified Services out of the 11 companies that comprised the Triumph Group, the two paper companies and their aerospace subsidiary. Richard Ill, who led Triumph Group for several years, was promoted to president of Alco Diversified Services.

In 1991, Alco sold their food division. In 1992, the corporation made an announcement that it was trying to sell Alco Diversified Services and purchase 49.9% percent of IMM Office Systems Holding. In 1993, Triumph Group took over Alco Diversified Services in a leveraged buyout. Triumph conducted aviation repair and overhaul, industrial machining, paper converting and steel converting. The companies employed 1450 people at 22 US locations, with aviation accounting for just over 25% of total sales.

In 1995, due to Department of Defense cutbacks, Triumph sold Otto Konigslow Manufacturing Company (which manufactured aerospace components) to two of its supervisors.

In the middle of the 1990s, commercial aviation sales went from $200 million to $300 million in three years, with forecasts indicating that sales would reach $500 million before the end of the decade. The aviation businesses provided 67% of the company's revenue. With never-before-seen demand for airline travel around 1996, Boeing produced close to 500 aircraft per annum. To meet this unprecedented production rate, Boeing outsourced a greater number of components and services.

In 1996, the corporation had 1500 workers and yearly earnings of $300 million. Six divisions worked in aviation while the other seven worked in specialty materials. The company went public at that time, which provided over $50 million in revenue.

The company focused on purchasing aviation companies in an attempt to increase profits by 20% per annum, and extend their product lines. Such acquisitions included Air Lab (1995), Teleflex Controls (1996), Hydro-Mill Company (1997), DV Industries (1998), DG Industries (1998), Chase Aerospace Limited (1998) and Hartford Tool and Die (1998).

The company also sold businesses that were not part of their aviation-focused strategy, such as Quality Park Products (1996) and Air Lab (1997).

In 1998, when Ill subsequently announced his preoccupations about cutbacks in aircraft production at Boeing Company, he also stated that there may be more work forthcoming on the new Boeing 737. This was an excellent fit for Triumph Air Repair, as much of their work consisted of servicing the Boeing 727 and 737 aircraft. It was at this time that Boeing Company purchased McDonnell Douglas, the first company to manufacture the KC-10 aircraft, which was the aerial refueling version of the Boeing DC-10. Soon to follow would be Triumph Air Repair's largest contract ever, a twelve-month deal to service auxiliary power units and line replaceable units for the United States Air Force KC-10 tankers. Boeing had several options to renew, increasing the potential of this arrangement ninefold.

In 1998, Triumph acquired four additional companies, bringing its grand total of subsidiaries to eighteen and its employee count to over two thousand in early 1999. It was at this time that Triumph purchased Ralee Engineering, a manufacturer of gigantic aircraft components and assemblies. This gave the conglomerate the ability to produce almost all of the parts used in commercial aircraft.

In 1999, Triumph infused six more companies into its colossal lineup of subsidiaries. The company produced flight control surfaces, control systems, and metal parts while providing MRO for almost every aircraft system except cabins, communications devices, landing gear, engines and the most comprehensive maintenance checks.

2000s

In 2003, the Boeing Company's failing Spokane, Washington facility was acquired, which is now known as Triumph Composite Systems. The conglomerate now stood at 41 companies. In the same quarter of that year, the company restructured by discontinuing its Metals Group and combining its five aviation segments into three. The Control Systems and Structures Groups were combined into Triumph Aerospace Systems Group. The Gas Turbine Services and Operational Components Groups were unified, becoming Triumph Components Group. Triumph Aftermarket Services Group added Advanced Materials Technologies and Aerospace Technologies to its portfolio.

Shortly thereafter, Triumph acquired the Parker Hannifin Corporation United Aircraft Products Division and Rolls-Royce Gear Systems. The company then reorganized into two groups, Triumph Aftermarket Services and Triumph Aerospace Systems. It also combined several of its Arizona subsidiaries into Triumph Engineered Solutions, which was decommissioned at the end of 2004.

In 2009, Triumph Group purchased Mexmil Company, Kongsberg Automotive, Merritt Tool Company and Saygrove Defense & Aerospace Group.

2010s

In June 2010, Triumph Group acquired Vought Aircraft Industries, a leading producer of aerostructures from the Carlyle Group. This acquisition close to doubled the company workforce, and created a 'Tier One Capable' supplier.

In January 2014 the company sold its division Lee Aerospace back to the its original founder, Jim Lee. Triumph had owned Lee Aerospace for 14 years.

In December 2015, Triumph Group Inc. announced that Daniel J. Crowley would be named president and chief executive officer effective 4 January 2016. Crowley succeeds Richard C. Ill, CEO from 1993-2012. Ill left retirement to step in after Jeffry D. Frisby resigned.

Segments

Triumph refers to divisions of the corporation as segments.

Triumph Aerostructures

Triumph Aerospace Systems - Wichita

Triumph Aerospace Systems - Wichita manufactures and designs pilot/co-pilot control wheels, sheet metal assemblies (from wing spars to entire fuselage assemblies), cockpit sun-visors, aircraft windows and is a manufacturing facility for composite materials.

Triumph Aerospace Systems also has segments in Newport News and Seattle.

Triumph Aerostructures - Vought Aircraft Division

Triumph Aerostructures - Vought Aircraft Division - formerly Vought Aircraft is a manufacturer of aerostructures for military, commercial and business aircraft. Products that the facility produces include wings, fuselages, nacelles, empennages and helicopter cabins.

The Vought acquisitions operate as Triumph Aerostructures - Vought Commercial Division and Triumph Aerostructures - Vought Integrated Programs Division with locations in Dallas, Grand Prairie, Hawthorne, Milledgeville, Nashville and Stuart.

Triumph Composite Systems

Triumph Composite Systems in Spokane, Washington manufactures composite interior components ranging from cargo and commercial floor panels to environmental control system (ECS) ducting. The organization also produces dripshields, glareshields, aisle stands, side-wall risers and mix bay manifolds.

Triumph Fabrications

• Triumph Fabrications - Fort Worth performs composite and metal bonding of structural and non-structural components for the aerospace industry as well as system integration and sub-assembly processing. The facility is supported by a sheet metal shop, tooling department, Phosphoric Acid Anodizing line and a core cutting shop to support bonding requirements. Additional services include a batch process for processing titanium for bonding in addition to a continuous flow process line for foil.
• Triumph Fabrications - Hot Springs is a producer of sheet metal assemblies and parts used in the military, commercial, business jet, regional jet, general aviation and helicopter markets. The operation maintains a wide variety of fabrication and special process capabilities which include heat treating, metal forming equipment, CNC and conventional trim or drill, chemical milling, waterjet, welding, anodize, penetrant inspection finish painting and alodine. For metal bonding, Triumph Fabrications - Hot Springs performs bonding primer application and phosphoric acid anodize in environmentally controlled buildings, and conducts autoclave bonding on-site. The Airborne Supply division of Triumph Fabrications - Hot Springs also distributes helicopter spare parts manufactured under Parts Manufacturer Approval authority. Their product line includes sheet metal parts including leading edges, skins, longerons, crown frames, formers, webs, ribs, covers, skid tubes, cross tubes, doors, fairi ngs, firewalls, panel assemblies, tail boom, rudders, elevators and metal bonded panels.
• Triumph Fabrications - San Diego produces tight tolerance, complex sheet metal assemblies such as plug and nozzles, primary exhaust systems, bleed air ducting, pneumatic ducting, industrial turbine engine weldements and aircraft structural and rocket engine components made from a wide variety of aerospace materials using various joining and forming methods. The core capabilities of this facility lie in fabricating complex assemblies from various aerospace metals using automated wire feed fusion welding, seam resistance welding and spot welding of non ferrous and ferrous metals.
• Triumph Fabrications - Shelbyville focuses on the fabricating, stretch forming, subassembly and machining of metallic items for regional, commercial, general and military aviation, and is an approved supplier to most major aerospace corporations in the United States.

Triumph Aerospace Systems also has Triumph Fabrications segments in Phoenix and Saint Louis.

Triumph Insulation Systems

Triumph Insulation Systems, with locations in Santa Ana, Calexico and Beijing supplies thermal-acoustic aerospace insulation and components for seats, aircraft interiors, lavatories, galleys and carpets.

Triumph Processing

Triumph Processing in Lynwood, California specializes in the manufacture of titanium and aluminum parts such as wing skins, fuselage skins, spars, stringers, spar webs, longerons and formed components such as engine cowlings in addition to detailed machined parts for the commercial, military and aerospace industries. Triumph Processing is capable of manufacturing parts up to 110 feet (33.5 meters) in length and 14 feet (4.3 meters) deep.

Triumph San Antonio Support Center

Triumph San Antonio Support Center provides preventative Ground Support Equipment (GSE) maintenance services for Boeing Company who is contracted by the United States Air Force (USAF) to provide maintenance and upfits to large military aircraft. The facility currently maintains over two thousand pieces of support equipment and performs repair and overhaul of gasoline and diesel powered engine driven equipment as well as custom-built racks, carts and trailers.

The facility manages all Ground Support Equipment (including Golf Carts) and Logistics efforts around the clock. The support center also manages equipment inventory, contract compliance, hazardous waste management, tool control, technical data usage, GSE maintenance records, training procedures and all other aspects of contract performance.

Triumph Structures

• Triumph Structures - East Texas in Kilgore, Texas is a modern machine shop manufacturing facility, specializing in complex turning, CNC milling, assembly and grinding for customers in the energy, aerospace and commercial industries. The company is currently involved in multiple defense and civilian aerospace contracts ranging from the Boeing 737 to military technology such as the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, Apache Helicopter and the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).
• Triumph Structures - Everett, with locations in Everett, Washington and Brea, CA specializes in NC programming, machining, kitting, tool design and sub-assembly of complex aircraft parts, skins, and airframe structures. Such components produced by this facility include spars, stringers, side of body panels, ribs, and monolithic wing skins ranging in size from inches to over 90 feet.
• Triumph Structures - Kansas City in Grandview, Missouri performs machining and assembly of thrust reverser beams, landing gear structures, extruded shapes, hard metals and production machining of aluminum components. Activities at this facility also include next higher assembly, integration packages, kitting and design for manufacturability feedback. Customers services include: Boeing Company, Bombardier Aerospace, Cessna Aircraft Company, Harley-Davidson, Hawker Beechcraft, Northrop Grumman Electronics Systems, Spirit AeroSystems and Airbus.
• Triumph Structures - Long Island in Westbury, New York manufactures structural and dynamic assemblies and parts for military and commercial aerospace programs. The facility performs a wide variety of services including assembly, machining, control, treatments, quality, kitting and engineering.
• Triumph Structures - Los Angeles with locations in Chatsworth, City of Industry and Walnut in the U.S. state of California produces large structural precision assemblies and components for the commercial, defense, space and ground support defense and aerospace markets specializing in complex machining and exotic metal weldments.
• Triumph Structures - Wichita is a contract manufacturer specializing in complex precision machining, kitting and assemblies serving major aviation and aerospace industries worldwide. Capabilities at this facility include flexible manufacturing, high speed machining, 3 and 4 axis machining, engineering, 5 axis machining, waterjet cutting and quality assurance.

Triumph Aerospace Systems

• Triumph Aerospace Systems - Newport News engineers and manufactures prototype systems and aerospace hardware for flight applications and ground test. This segment makes the claim that it has been involved in the development of nearly every domestic fixed-wing aircraft, missile, and helicopter system.
• Triumph Aerospace Systems - Seattle is the systems engineering and integration focal for Triumph Group. Triumph Aerospace Systems deals with motion, control, and power systems aircraft and rotorcraft. Control systems solutions range from electro-mechanical, structural mechanical, electro-hydraulic and hydraulic integrated with digital electronic control.

Triumph Aerostructures also has an Aerospace Systems segment in Kansas called Triumph Aerospace Systems - Wichita.

Triumph Actuation Systems

• Triumph Actuation Systems - Clemmons/Freeport has been designing, repairing and manufacturing complex hydro-mechanical and hydraulic actuation and control systems and components for over 70 years, previously as Frisby Aerospace, Inc. The facility produces variable displacement motors and pumps, valves, linear actuators and other components used on a wide variety of military and commercial aircraft for every major airframe manufacturer in North America and Europe, including Airbus and Boeing.
• Triumph Actuation Systems - Connecticut (TAS-CT) specializes in the development, design, manufacture and test of a wide array of aerospace products, notably manufacturing parts up to 20 inches (50.8 cm) in diameter that typically require both milling and turning, typically in high strength nickel and titanium based alloys primarily used in turbine engine applications. With numerous CNC turning centers, 4-axis CNC milling centers, CNC grinding capabilities, 3-axis CNC vertical milling centers, grinding, wire EDM, lapping and honing capabilities, the facility can manufacture and design shimmy dampers, nose wheel steering systems, flight control servo actuators, landing gear systems, hydraulic valves, lag dampers, telescoping, fixed length and folding hold open rods and struts, mechanical latches and keepers, hydro-mechanical uplocks, hydro-mechanical actuation systems, turbine engine components, electro-mechanical and mechanical actuation systems as well as structural landing gear systems and components used throughout military and commercial industries. The company currently has its operations distributed between Bethel, Bloomfield and East Lyme, Connecticut. They claim their in-house grinding capability permits tolerances to be held within +/- 0.0001 inches (0.0025 mm).
• Triumph Actuation Systems - Valencia (TASV) is a producer of hydraulic actuation components for the aerospace industry, both military and commercial. The company is involved in the fabrication, design, test and assembly of electromechanical and hydro-mechanical products.
• Triumph Actuation & Motion Control Systems - UK in Buckley, Flintshire fabricates low-to-medium power all-electric actuators, with both linear and rotary outputs, complete with associated electronics and embedded position sensors, fully integrated electro-mechanical systems, multi-channel electronic controllers, motor/gearbox combinations, sensors and conducts motor control design for primary and secondary systems. The company provides development, comprehensive system design and modeling, electronic manufacturing, support and testing services to its defense and civil aerospace customers, including unmanned aerial vehicles, acting as a single source for customized designs from their range of electro-mechanical and electronic products to customers in Europe.

The division takes part in commercial aviation programs such as the Airbus A330, A340-200/300, A340-500/600, and Global Express. In the defense aerospace sector, the company conducts projects involving the HERTI and Taranis UAVs, RB199 Tornado, A330MRTT, AV8B Harrier and Nimrod.

Triumph Controls

• Triumph Controls - France based in Alfortville designs and manufactures ball bearing controls for military and commercial aircraft, railways, weaponry armored vehicles, underground, trains, marine vehicles (professional and pleasure boats) and motor vehicles. Located in Alfortville, France, the company engineers designs and manufactures ball bearing controls under the name "CBA Flexball", sliding controls under the "CBA Vofaflex" name and "Control Boxes" for many different applications in various industries internationally.
• Triumph Controls - Germany GmbH (formerly Teleflex / Kongsberg Automotive) based in Heiligenhaus, Germany, designs, develops and manufactures electromechanical and mechanical control systems for rotary and fixed wing military and commercial aircraft applications. With over 60 years of experience, Triumph Controls - Germany continues to supply gearboxes, advanced ball bearing controls and cable control systems including push/pull cable control systems, helix cable controls, wire rope assemblies and helical cable assemblies to large aerospace manufacturers as a primary or secondary means of controlling a range of flight, ground, cabin comfort and engine management features in their aircraft for applications requiring transfer of linear and/or rotary motion on the aircraft. Such applications include engine control, vent, thrust reversers and water system controls. In addition, Triumph Controls - Germany GmbH produces throttle quadrants for fixed wing and rotorcraft and actuation dev ices.
• Triumph Controls - UK in Basildon, Essex designs, manufactures and overhauls mechanical and electromechanical control systems for civil and military aircraft. With over 60 years of experience, Triumph Controls - UK continues to supply cable control systems to many large European aerospace manufacturers as a primary or secondary means of controlling flight, ground, cabin comfort and engine management features in their aircraft. Capabilities at this facility include cable tension regulators, push/pull controls, actuators, screw jacks and aircrew seats.
• Triumph Controls - USA with locations in North Wales, Pennsylvania and Shelbyville, Indiana manufactures and designs mechanical and electromechanical control systems for rotary and fixed wing military and commercial aircraft, military vehicles, naval vessels, industrial plants and nuclear power stations. Founded in 1943 as Teleflex Aerospace/Defense/Naval Technologies/Power Systems, Triumph Controls - USA develops helicopter collectives, throttle quadrants, flap and spoiler cockpit lever controls, helix cable controls, gearboxes, landing gear, actuation devices, flap, spoiler, landing gear and nose wheel steering control modules, push/pull controls (both sliding cable and ball bearing), detector drive systems and remote mechanical valve actuators. Specific applications include cockpit controls, engine control, vent actuation, water system controls and thrust reversers.

In addition to aerospace products, the company provides remote mechanical valve actuators to the industrial and shipbuilding markets. Within the civil nuclear power industry, Triumph Controls-USA manufactures the detector drive system element of the flux mapping system for both boiling water reactor (BWR) and pressurized water reactor (PWR) plants.

Triumph Fabrications

• Triumph Fabrications - Phoenix in Chandler, Arizona produces tight tolerance, complex sheet metal assemblies such as plug and nozzles, primary exhaust systems, bleed air ducting, pneumatic ducting, rocket engine and aircraft structural components, and industrial turbine engine weldements using a varied spectrum of aerospace materials, high quality resistance welding, fusion welding, spot resistance welding, seam resistance welding, automated wire feed fusion welding and a wide variety of joining and forming techniques. Tight tolerance high temperature and aluminum aerospace metal alloys are hydraulic formed, drop hammer formed and bulge formed into details that are then precision joined.

• Triumph Fabrications - Saint Louis at the Saint Louis Regional Airport complex in East Alton, Illinois supports the Department of Defense and United States Army Aviation Branch with maintenance, repair and overhaul of military helicopter components. The facility also tests, assembles and inspects new manufactured components produced at their Orangeburg, South Carolina facility which specializes in complex precision fabrication, assembly and machining of components for the commercial, nuclear and aerospace industries. The facility also has in-house experience in federal government contracting, compliance, U.S. Army military and aviation operations.

Triumph Aerostructures also has Triumph Fabrications segments with locations in Fort Worth, Hot Springs, San Diego and Shelbyville.

Triumph Gear Systems

• Triumph Gear Systems - Macomb (TGSM) is a supplier and manufacturer of helicopter transmissions, gas turbine jet engine gearboxes, helicopter systems, actuators, detail gears, gear assemblies, and other components servicing the aerospace industry. Founded in 1976 as ACR Industries, Triumph Gear Systems - Macomb is situated approximately 60 minutes North of Detroit.
• Triumph Gear Systems - Park City was founded in 1988 as Western Gear. The company operated as Rolls-Royce Gear Systems and Lucas Western before being acquired by Triumph Group. The company has decades of experience in the manufacturing, design, testing and support of actuation and power drive systems. Products produced by the company include accessory drives, propulsion transmissions and actuation assemblies which include utility applications, high lift systems and flight trim actuation.

Triumph Northwest

Triumph Northwest in Albany, Oregon specializes in the handling of rare metals and the production of high quality refractory metal parts. As an AS9100 compliant facility, the facility typically forges and machines tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium, tantalum and niobium components for the aerospace, defense, solar, medical and semiconductor industries. In addition, secondary machining of titanium castings for the aerospace industry is another function the organization performs. On the premises two Bliss 800-ton mechanical forging presses, a Charmilles wire EDM and various CNC lathes and machining centers are utilitzed to produce these final products.

Triumph Thermal Systems

Triumph Thermal Systems (TTS) with locations in Forest, Ohio and Shelbyville, Indiana is a global manufacturer and supplier of heat exchange and transfer systems and temperature control components in lubrication, fuel, environmental, hydraulic and related systems. Products that TTS produces include:

• Plate Fin Heat Exchangers: A broad selection of vacuum-brazed plate fin heat exchangers for environmental control, aircraft hydraulic, hot bleed air systems as well as other fluid system cooling applications
• Tubular Heat exchangers: Oil cooling and fuel heating components for commercial or military engines, vehicles and airframes
• Reservoirs and Tanks: Reservoirs and tanks for aircraft oil systems
• Liquid Cooling Systems: Surface coolers, avionics cooling systems, radar cooling systems and cold plate assemblies for aircraft

Triumph Aftermarket Services

Triumph Accessory Services

• Triumph Accessory Services - Grand Prairie provides engine and airframe accessory services to aviation customers globally. The organization services valves and drive units, pneumatic starters, engine gearboxes, lube system pumps, hydraulic actuators, fuel nozzles, fuel pumps, fuel controls, electric generator products including speed drives and performs bearing and gear inspection.
• Triumph Accessory Services - Wellington is a provider of maintenance services to regional, military and commercial organizations for aircraft and engine components and electrical power generation devices.

Triumph Air Repair

According to the company's website, Triumph Air Repair in Phoenix, Arizona is the largest independent Auxiliary Power Unit and APU component repair and overhaul service provider worldwide.

Triumph Airborne Structures

Triumph Airborne Structures in Hot Springs, Arkansas is an FAA/EASA approved repair facility specializing in maintenance, repair and overhaul of flight control surfaces, nacelle components, fan reversers and other aerostructures. The facility performs repairs on aircraft structures, as well as full overhaul support, including replacement of core and skins for both composite and metal bonded components. Components produced at this location include Inlet Cowls, Fan Reversers, Flaps, Fan Cowls, Ailerons, Slats, Elevators, Stabilizers and Spoilers.

Triumph Aviation Services

Triumph Aviation Services in Chonburi, Thailand is the Asia-Pacific aftermarket services headquarters for Triumph Group and a service center for commercial aviation in that region. Capabilities include complex sheet metal fabrication, ablative application, composite bonding (localized and autoclave), rotating group balancing, full APU diagnostics, test and certification, non-destructive testing, curvic grinding, paint application, piece part machining, full pneumatic, electric, and fuel accessory repair and test and sheet-metal and composite bonded structure repair.

Triumph Engines

Triumph Engines in Arizona with locations in Tempe and Chandler provides repair services, aftermarket parts and services to aircraft operators, maintenance providers, and third-party overhaul facilities. Triumph Engines also overhauls, repairs, manufactures and designs aftermarket aerospace components.

Triumph Instruments

• Triumph Instruments - Burbank specializes in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft instruments for freight carriers, major commercial air transports, corporate business aircraft, regional airlines and helicopters. Their facility at Van Nuys Airport performs installation, troubleshooting and new sales of avionics for general aviation aircraft and business jets.

The company also distributes controls, industrial instruments and valves to the medical, semiconductor, agriculture, petrochemical and HVAC industries.

• Triumph Instruments - Fort Lauderdale conducts aircraft instrument support services such as traditional repair, overhaul and exchange services for electronic, electromechanical, gyroscopic, pneumatic aircraft instrument and avionics products. These components include TCAS antennas, cockpit voice and flight data recorders, autopilot system components and accessory items such as static inverters and position transmitters. In addition, the division provides component exchange and loaner programs to both operators and maintainers while supporting business aviation, general aviation and air transport aviation fleets around the globe.

Triumph Interiors

Triumph Interiors specializes in the refurbishment and repair of aircraft interiors and the manufacture of related components such as sidewalls, windows and overhead bins. The company is headquartered in Oakdale, Pennsylvania, and operates additional facilities in Grand Prairie, Texas and Atlanta, Georgia.

References

External links

• Official website