But orders for smaller jets have nosedived, forcing Cessna and Hawker Beechcraft, two American firms dependent on this end of the market, to make drastic cuts.

ECONOMIST: Corporate jets

Rubicon said that while the pricing environment has not improved for the smaller wafer sizes, it has started taking orders for those products for delivery in Q1 and Q2 to reduce inventory levels and maintain customer relationships.

FORBES: Rubicon Technology Tumbles On Soft Q4, Weak Q1 Outlook

Already, Russia is seeking export orders for its smaller Superjet (a demonstrator model of which crashed in Indonesia in May, though apparently not due to any technical fault).

ECONOMIST: Industry in Russia

High uncertainty in credit markets has been caused by the Greek crisis, worries about the Italian and Spanish economies, and concerns about the effects of the debt agreement in the US. This is making it more difficult for smaller manufacturers with weaker balance sheets to acquire cost effective working capital to service orders on their books.

FORBES: Small European Firms Face Tough Manufacturing Marketplace