Eurocopter Deepens its Presence in Canada
Eurocopter Canada Limited, a subsidiary of Eurocopter, the world's largest and most respected designer/manufacturer of civilian helicopters, substantially enhanced its presence in Canada during 2008. The company expanded its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Fort Erie, Ontario in developing and manufacturing composite components for its worldwide fleet of helicopters. This expansion also allows Eurocopter Canada to develop its support and services activities including training, aircraft conversions and retrofit. The company currently supports 540 aircrafts for 150 customers.
In addition to expanding its main facility in Fort Erie, Eurocopter Canada has also officially opened a new logistics facility in Richmond, British Columbia (BC) in October 2008. The expansion is part of the company's plans for growth in the BC market and its commitment to customer service in the region and across the country. The new facility will support the company's sales efforts for its rapidly expanding business in BC, provide technical support and serve as logistics and spare parts distribution centre for all Canadian customers.
"At Eurocopter Group, we truly value the subsidiaries we have established in countries such as Canada," said Philippe Harache, Senior Executive Vice President of Eurocopter Group. "Subsidiary operations such as Eurocopter Canada have all owed our company to grow, diversify and succeed in the global marketplace. Eurocopter would not be as strong today without the contributions of our subsidiaries."
Why Canada?
Canada is more than a center of excellence in the aerospace sector. The relatively small population and the large size of the country enabled it to develop an extensive network of air connections and dynamic aerospace industry as a result. With a long history of being at the forefront of aviation technology, Canadian companies are competing successfully with the best in the world and are receiving international recognition for the work they are accomplishing. Eurocopter Canada belongs to the Eurocopter supply chain and design office organisation. "We have been awarded several contracts by the parent company to manufacture composite components used in the main assembly lines in Europe and to conduct general studies," said Marie-Agnès Vève, Chief Executive Officer of Eurocopter Canada. "The Canadian aerospace industry ranks among the finest in the world and the skills you find here are of superior value. We are the only Eurocopter subsidiary to manufacture composite components for the parent company; this indicates the recognition we have from Eurocopter."
Why Ontario and British Columbia?
"The growth of Eurocopter in Ontario is a vote of confidence in the province's strong business climate, skilled workforce and competitive tax regime, said and former French Ambassador Jouanneau at the opening ceremony. " It shows that global companies like Eurocopter are committed to making long-term investments in countries such as Canada."
BC's aerospace cluster includes firms located in Greater Vancouver, Kelowna and Victoria, all of which are in close proximity to Boeing assembly facilities in neighbouring Washington State. The cluster's aerospace strengths include helicopter services, aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, space systems, advanced composite aerostructures, as well as material and information systems support for military fleets. The industry is also supported by one of Canada's largest aerospace training centres at he British Columbia Institute of Technology.
"British Columbia is an important market for us and we are seeing tremendous growth opportunities in economic sectors such as the offshore oil and natural gas industry, mining, forestry, law enforcement and tourism," said Marie-Agnès Vève. " We look forward to expanding our presence in BC and continuing to build relationships with customers such as VIH. This increased and closer support will continue to be paramount to our success in this region and across Canada."
"2008 was a milestone year for Eurocopter Canada" said Vève. "The company created 62 new jobs, delivered 20 aircrafts and confirmed its number one position in Canada with a 61 percent market share, based on new single and twin-engine aircraft deliveries. We have delivered the 500th aircraft last summer to Phoenix Heli-Flight; this was the 1st Canadian delivery of the AS255 NP." It was also in 2008 that Eurocopter unveiled the new EC175 for which VIH became the Canadian launch partner.
Eurocopter Canada has a support network that spans the entire country. Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is Division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defence and related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 15,6000 people. In 2008, Eurocopter cemented its position as the world's #1 helicopter manufacturer in the civil and para-public market, with a turnover of 4.5 billion Euros, orders for 715 new helicopters, and a 52 percent market share in the civil and para-public sectors. Overall, the Group's products account for 20 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 that 10,000 Eurocopter helicopters are currently in service with over 2,800 customers in more than 140 countries.
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Prepared by the Invest in Canada Bureau, Spring 2009
