Enders: 'Our Business Has Moved East'

The high-profile role for Airbus at Singapore’s Changi Exhibition Centre last week underscored the company’s strong presence in the Asia-Pacific region, which accounts for an important part of its commercial business and represents an increasingly active industrial base, company officials said.

In signing the A330 Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) conversion memorandum of understanding, Airbus is positioned to further expand its freighter aircraft portfolio.  With a teaming that involves Singapore’s ST Aerospace and Airbus’ EADS EFW sister company, this programme will modify A330s that have completed their useful operational service as passenger jetliners for new careers as cargo aircraft. 

Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders said ST Aerospace’s involvement in the A330P2F project reflects the growing industrial importance of Asia-Pacific companies for Airbus.  “Our business is not moving east…it has moved east,” he explained.  “The Asia-Pacific region is not just important for us in terms of sales, it also offers significant opportunities for industrial partnerships as we seek ways to meet increased demand for our products and to supplement industrial and engineering capacity in Europe.”

In another Singapore Airshow-related development, Airbus signed a contract with Singapore’s SIA Engineering Company for implementation of the Airbus Managed Inventory (AMI) solution.  As a result, the SIA Engineering Company becomes Asia-Pacific’s inaugural customer for AMI, which is part of Airbus’ strategy to further expand its services offer. 

Also during the week, was an agreement with Thai Airways International for an Airbus flight hour services-tailored support package, providing aircraft inventory and maintenance for the Thailand-based airline’s A380 fleet.  Thai Airways International is one of two Asia-Pacific carriers that will receive their first A380s in 2012, along with Malaysia Airlines.

Completing Airbus’ business activity at the 2012 Singapore Airshow was the finalizing of a purchase order with Kuwait-based ALAFCO for 35 A320neo Family aircraft, bringing this aviation lease and finance company’s total backlog for the type to 85.

FMI: www.airbus.com