Automotive seating giant Adient is considering an expansion into aircraft interiors under a new agreement with Boeing announced this week.
Adient, which spun off from Wisconsin-based battery and heating systems maker Johnson Controls last year, said that its collaboration with the Chicago aerospace giant would "explore innovative comfort, efficiency and functional improvements to commercial aircraft seating and interiors."
The companies added that the market for aircraft interiors — currently consolidated in a small number of companies — should expand at an average rate of 4.3 percent between 2016 and 2025. Boeing anticipates that the world's commercial air fleet will double in coming decades primarily due to demand from Asia.
Adient plans to provide design, production and supply chain input to the collaboration with Boeing, while the aerospace company will contribute industry, technical and regulatory expertise.
"Through discussions with Boeing, we believe there's an opportunity for Adient to raise the bar on the aviation passenger experience, building on our leadership in the automobile seat market," Adient CEO Bruce McDonald said in a statement.
The Wall Street Journal added that Adient is open to working with Boeing rivals Airbus, Bombardier and Embraer.