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Leonardo’s aerostructure business, which makes parts for Boeing and Airbus, saw a 35.5% fall because of the protracted negative impact of the pandemic.

The European planemaker said on Wednesday it would combine aerostructure assembly in France under one entity, bringing major fuselage parts plants in St Nazaire and Nantes together with the worldwide operations of its Stelia affiliate.

TECT, headquartered in Wichita, produces complex aerostructure components and assemblies used in flight controls, fuselages, interiors, doors, wings, landing gear, struts and nacelles, and cockpits.

Bombardier’s plan to sell two aerostructure facilities - the Belfast plant and another in Morocco - along with a smaller repair plant in Dallas comes as the Canadian company sheds its commercial aviation business to focus on its higher-margin business jets and rail divisions.

They are each so-called “Tier One” suppliers to Boeing, making large aerostructure parts for all Boeing’s jets.