| Eurocopter reinforces its presence in Japan through the acquisition of Euroheli’s shares |
|
Eurocopter is now the major shareholder of Euroheli, its former
helicopter distributor in Japan. As at 1st April 09, Euroheli’s
staff and activities have been merged with that of Eurocopter Japan
(ECJ). The new enlarged ECJ subsidiary will continue to be headed by
Mr. Stephane Ginoux, the current CEO. With a staff strength of around
60 employees, it becomes the first foreign aircraft manufacturer in
Japan to carry out direct sales and customer support activities for
Eurocopter’s entire range of civil and military helicopters.
Mr.
Lutz Bertling, CEO of Eurocopter stated on the establishment of ECJ,
“This investment is completely in-line with our business strategy
of being multi-local players in all Eurocopter’s key markets. It
proves our commitment to Japan based on our 40 years of experiences in
the market. Through this acquisition, we will be able to consolidate
our strength and capabilities in Japan thanks to Euroheli’s pool
of professional and experienced staff. With an increase in resources
and a reinforced presence in the country, Eurocopter will be in a
better position to serve our existing civil and governmental customers
as well as to further develop our activities in the defence
market”.
Today, Eurocopter has a market share of 57% in
the civil and parapublic sectors in Japan with a fleet of 360
helicopters. As for the defence market, there are currently 3 EC225 VIP
helicopters flying for the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Forces, to
which will add a fleet of EC135 training helicopters following its
recent selection by the Maritime Self-Defence Forces.
Eurocopter
is committed to promoting its wide range of civil and military products
to all its customers in Japan, such as the state-of-the-art NH90*
helicopter to the country’s Self-Defence Forces. As in the past
with the co-development program for the BK117 helicopter which became a
proven success, Eurocopter remains open to future opportunities for
local industrial co-operation in the country.
* The NH90 is a
helicopter in the 9-10 metric ton class intended to modernise and boost
the capability of the tactical transport and anti-submarine combat
fleets. It is developed by NHI - joint venture established between
Eurocopter, Agusta Westland and Stork Fokker.
About Eurocopter
Established
in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a Division of
EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defence and related services. The
Eurocopter Group employs approx. 15,600 people. In 2008, Eurocopter
confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter
manufacturer in the civil and parapublic market, with a turnover of 4.5
billion Euros, orders for 715 new helicopters, and a 53 percent market
share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s
products account for 30 percent of the total world helicopter fleet.
Its strong worldwide presence is ensured by its 18 subsidiaries on five
continents, along with a dense network of distributors, certified
agents and maintenance centres. More than 10,000 Eurocopter helicopters
are currently in service with over 2,800 customers in more than 140
countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter
range in the world.
For more information, please contact:
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| PEK-KEE SUM |
| Thursday, 02 April 2009 |
| http://www.eurocopter.com/publications/FO/scripts/newsFO_complet.php?lang=EN&news_id=598 |