New Products And Services Financed Through "Transformation" Of
The Company
In series of moves it says is in answer to the
world economic crisis, as well as the evolution of the
helicopter market, Eurocopter has decided to accelerate its SHAPE
improvement program. The company intends to invest more than
$1.7 billion in self-funded Research & Development between 2010
and 2014, after having doubled its annual self-funded R & D
budget in the past three years.
The company said in a news release that these investments will
fund new helicopter programs and an enhanced worldwide support and
services offer. On the same period Eurocopter plans to spend in
addition $1.3 billion in various investments to sustain the
company's competitiveness and to continue expanding its worldwide
presence and extending top-quality customer support and services
around the globe. This considerable investment is expected to
generate a need for about 400 additional positions in France and
Germany for engineers and technicians over the next years.
Eurocopter's transformation program SHAPE was launched in
October 2009 across the Group to ensure a profitable, competitive
and sustainable future for the company as the world leader in the
helicopter industry. It is based on 6 modules: Invest, Save,
Improve, Simplify, People and Engagement, Accompany our
Customers.
Facing a slow recovery of the civil helicopter market and an
increasingly challenging competitive environment, Eurocopter has
decided to intensify and accelerate the SHAPE improvement program.
Eurocopter Group President and CEO Lutz Bertling (right) said:
"Our SHAPE program is all about investing in customer solutions
that will strengthen our competitive position, improving our
processes, and creating a better, leaner organization. This
transformation plan is vital for Eurocopter to ensure its
leadership in the helicopter marketplace." The opening of a new,
integrated engineering-center is planned for 2012 at Eurocopter's
Donauworth, Germany, facility. Donauworth thus will become
Eurocopter's German Helicopter System House for development,
production and support of civil and military helicopters,
integrating activities today located at Donauworth and Ottobrunn
and thus generating additional synergies.
Eurocopter is additionally studying a relocation of its
Rotorblade factory and sales activities based at La Courneuve to a
new site at Le Bourget Airport, depending on conditions granted by
French authorities.
Along with various programs already implemented with the goal of
improving Eurocopter's efficiency - such as reducing inventories -
new initiatives will be put in place, including an optimized span
of control for managers within the entire company and the reduction
of layers of management, in order to develop empowerment and
speed-up decision processes. A major reduction of cost in
supporting functions, aiming at a $265 million annual saving, will
be accompanied by the redundancy of 400 positions in total in
France and Germany. The company will try to redeploy the
corresponding employees, whenever possible, to operational
functions within Eurocopter or inside the EADS group. Additionally,
voluntary departure schemes will be offered up to April 2011, in
cases where redeployment will not be feasible.
These initiatives will be discussed with the various employee
representatives within the spirit and the long tradition of open
social dialog that characterizes Eurocopter.
ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.16.24)
See All