At the Airbus works airport in Hamburg-Finkenwerder, a new hall for equipping the long-haul model A321XLR was inaugurated. With this, Airbus continues its modernization and digitization of the industrial system and expands its capacity for rate ramp-up in the A320 program to rate 75 in 2026.

“The Airbus location in Hamburg is significantly involved in the development and production of the A321XLR. With our new state-of-the-art equipment assembly hall, we are now expanding the capacity to manufacture A321 aircraft fuselages and are making a significant contribution to supporting our rate ramp-up. At the same time, we are sending a strong signal about the importance of Hamburg in the Airbus group,” says André Walter, Head of Airbus Civil Aircraft Production in Germany. "The latest standards in production and sustainability were taken into account when designing the building".

The new equipment assembly hall, H259, with a production area of ​​9.600m² is used to equip the rear fuselages of the A321XLR, which are built in Hamburg. The hangar incorporates state-of-the-art operational and manufacturing technologies such as automated logistics, fully digital fixtures and test stations that provide the status of each fuselage section (both logistically and resource-wise) at all times. The fuselage components, which are almost 24 meters long, are equipped with all electrical and mechanical systems as well as other elements such as windows, floor panels or external antennas on an automated "pulse line" consisting of eight stations. Each fuselage section is extensively tested immediately after the systems are installed. The fuselage sections are then handed over to the final assembly line in Hamburg.

The stations in the new hall were planned in close cooperation with the employees in order to create both an efficient production flow and an ergonomically optimized and modern working environment. In addition, the interior design also focused on maintaining optimal conditions for cooperation between the employees in production and the supporting functions.