|
Airbus parent considers building in China
(AP)
Updated: 2006-03-14 07:13
The European parent of the maker of Airbus aircraft is considering
manufacturing some planes in China, but a top executive said Monday the company
won't make a final decision until summer.
![Thomas Enders, one of the joint CEOs of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., poses for a photographer at the company's investor meeting, Monday, March 13, 2006 in New York. [AP]](xin_36030314072254489154.jpg)
Thomas Enders, one of the joint CEOs of
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., poses for a photographer at the
company's investor meeting, Monday, March 13, 2006 in New York.
[AP] | "Asia is the biggest growth area," Tom
Enders, chief executive officer of European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co.
(EADS), said at a news conference. He said EADS hopes to make a final decision
between July and September.
The planes to be made in China would be commercial aircraft produced by
Airbus. EADS owns 80 percent of Airbus, based in Toulouse, France.
Enders said the company is considering building single-aisle commercial
aircraft in China. These planes typically have 107 to 185 seats and many likely
would be used for destinations within China.
He said the company is not sure how many people it would hire in China and
company managers meeting with reporters Monday were unable to say where
production facilities would be based. EADS managers said the plan being
considered would be to build four planes a month in China by some time in 2009.
The EADS CEO also told reporters in New York that the first two of its A380
planes, the world's largest commercial aircraft, will be delivered later this
year to Singapore Airlines. The A380 aircraft competes with Boeing Co.'s 747
model.
Enders and other senior managers were in New York as part of a series of
meetings with its US investors.
EADS, whose products range from commercial Airbus planes, military transport
aircraft, helicopters and ballistic missiles, is based in Paris and Munich. Last
week, the company said its net income rose 39 percent to 1.68 billion euros ($2
billion) from 2004's 1.20 billion euros.
Hans Peter Ring, chief financial officer at EADS, said the company expects
much of its growth over the next five to 10 years to come from within
Asia.
|
