EVENDALE, OHIO -- Turkish Airlines is the first customer to participant in GE Aviation's new material scrap reclamation program, aimed at recycling hardware containing the rare and costly element -- rhenium.
Under the program, customers will return their scrap high pressure turbine (HPT) blades made from nickel superalloys that contain rhenium to GE Aviation. The material will be cleaned and melted for re-use in HPT blade manufacturing.
"The program helps our customer as well as GE Aviation's material stream," said Scott Ernest, vice president of GE Aviation's Supply Chain organization. "For our customers, like Turkish Airlines, the program will help them with their environmental efforts as well as help reduce the costs associate with material disposal. For GE, it will help us reduce our need for rhenium, which is a rare and costly element."
This program will be practiced by Turkish Technic, which is owned by Turkish Airlines and holds ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard Certificate.
"On behalf of Turkish Airlines, we are very proud to be a pioneer, actually being the first airline, in this ecology friendly project," said Mr. Ismail Demir CEO, Turkish Technic. "This is a good sample of Turkish Airlines' traditional sensitive approach to the environment and willingness to participate in such win-win projects securing the ecological heritage."
GE Aviation started its scrap reclamation program at its own maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities in 2007 to combat the rising cost of the rhenium. Prior to this program, the scrap material was sold to vendors, which recycled the material for use in the stainless steel industry. This meant key rare elements for critical aviation hardware was lost to the aviation industry.
This year, the program was expanded to GE Aviation's commercial and military customers. GE anticipates reducing its rhenium need by 10 percent in 2008 through the program. Plans are in the works to expand the scrap reclamation program to other engine parts.
GE Aviation, an operating unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of commercial and military jet engines and components as well as integrated digital, electric power, and mechanical systems for aircraft. GE Aviation also has a global service network to support these offerings.