Mon, Jul 19, 2010
Contract Reportedly Worth Around $1.9 Billion
Eurocopter's collaboration with Airbus on the new A350 XWB
long-haul airliner took on a new dimension Tuesday with the signing
of a major contract at the Eurocopter facility in Donauworth.
Eurocopter has been chosen to develop and manufacture the door
systems for the most recent member of the Airbus fleet. The
contract for the development, production and delivery of all
passenger and cargo doors for the A350 XWB was signed on behalf of
Airbus by Klaus Richter, Executive Vice President Procurement, and
on behalf of Eurocopter Deutschland by Dr. Wolfgang Schoder, CEO.
The ceremony was attended by high-ranking government officials,
including Parliamentary State Secretary Peter Hintze, and by Dr.
Lutz Bertling, President and CEO of the Eurocopter Group. The 1.5
billion euro contract represents a further step in the process of
generating synergies between helicopter manufacturing and the
design of aircraft doors in general.
By assuming responsibility for the development and manufacture
of all A350 XWB doors, Eurocopter says it has taken another step in
its efforts to be recognized as a fully-fledged systems provider.
"This A350 XWB contract with Airbus, which gives us the go-ahead
for the production phase, is of decisive importance to the future
sustainability of our manufacturing site in Germany," declared Lutz
Bertling, President and CEO of the Eurocopter Group. "It confirms
our position as an experienced and highly skilled manufacturer of
aircraft components, rather than merely as a leader in the
helicopter business," he added. "It also confirms that our Center
of Excellence for Airplane Door Systems is on the right track by
shifting its focus from traditional metal structures to new
manufacturing technologies based on composite materials."
Eurocopter says more than 150 of its engineers have been
involved in the conceptual design, development and pre-production
phases of this project since it was launched in 1997. An estimated
budget of nearly $1.9 billion has been set aside to cover the total
expenditure on door systems for the planned family of A350 XWB
aircraft, including work subcontracted to program partners in South
Korea. It is a worthwhile investment, given that, once series
production starts, it will secure up to 500 jobs in Donauworth and
the surrounding region. Delivery of the first door systems is
scheduled for the end of 2010, initially for testing.
Parliamentary State Secretary and coordinator of the German
federal government for the aerospace industry Peter Hintze
congratulated Eurocopter on being selected as the sole supplier of
all A350 XWB passenger and cargo doors, and hailed this as a clear
signal to the aerospace industry that Germany intends to maintain
its lead in this high-technology sector. Hintze also stressed that,
"as well as confirming Eurocopter's power in innovation, this
contract will also secure a considerable number of jobs in Bavaria.
Moreover, the company's achievements serve as an outstanding
example of manufacturing excellence in Germany."
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