Rolls-Royce has confirmed a follow-on order from Singapore Airlines for Trent 900 engines to power SIA’s nine additional Airbus A380s.

The UK manufacturer claims a 58-percent market share of A380 firm and optioned engine orders, as nine out of 12 operators that have chosen engines to date have opted for the Trent 900 over the Engine Alliance GP7200. For its part, the GE Aviation/Pratt & Whitney Alliance claims a 50-percent share.

Meanwhile, despite its strong orderbook, which jumped 76 percent to a record £45.9 billion ($90 billion) in 2007, shares in Rolls-Royce fell sharply after the company blamed the weak U.S. dollar for a slump in net profits by a third, to £606 million ($1.19 billion).

In response, Rolls-Royce is shifting more work to dollar-based economies and in November last year announced plans to build an advanced aero-engine factory at Seletar, Singapore, capable of producing up to 400 engines a year for the new Airbus A350XWB and Boeing 787. The $320 million facility is to begin manufacturing engines by the end of 2009.