Supplier denies involvement in fake aircraft materials

VSMPO-AVISMA has denied involvement in the supply of counterfeit titanium products that are claimed to have been used in aircraft.

Last week, various media outlets reported that 750 false certificates for VSMPO-AVISMA titanium products had been found at the Voronezh aircraft-building plant (ВАСО), one of the largest aircraft-producing facilities in Russia. Now, the company has issued a statement insisting that it “has no connection to the counterfeit metal found to have false ‘certificates’.”

The company – which is the world’s largest titanium producer – goes on to say that it has initiated an investigation into the emergence in the market of counterfeit metal and falsified certificates.

“VSMPO-AVISMA…is involved in the ongoing investigation, at the request of the [authorities], as the expert on this problem and is performing inspection of the quality certificates authenticity as inquired by the Prosecutor's office of the Russian Federation,” it asserts in a statement.

The majority of the falsified certificates appear to have been issued by “intermediary firms for the material of unknown origin for the purpose of covering by false certificate of true origin and quality of products.”

“All products under VSMPO's brand are delivered only within contractual obligations, are made in full accordance with all approved production practices, and are accompanied by original certificates of conformity,” it insists.

The counterfeit titanium is said to have ended up being use in the assembly and repair of aircraft between 2011 and 2018.