EADS N.V. - EADS and Enterprise Ireland Sign a Strategic Partnership Agreement for Aerospace Research, Technology Development and Procurement

EADS will increase its cooperation with Irish high tech industry. A Memorandum of Understanding between EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services and Enterprise Ireland was signed in the presence of Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin T.D. in Dublin. The agreement forms the basis for co-operation until 2012. It will enable Enterprise Ireland to develop industrial and procurement links with EADS and to facilitate mutually beneficial technology, research and development projects between Irish companies and research institutions and EADS and its divisions.

The primary aim of the agreement is to increase the level of procurement by EADS from Enterprise Ireland’s client companies. Enterprise Ireland and EADS aim to increase annual sales by Irish companies to EADS to a value of €35m by 2012. Furthermore, the agreement aims to optimise opportunities for co-operation in technology research and development between EADS, Enterprise Ireland client companies and Science Foundation Ireland. The agreement will also help maximise the benefits of the involvement of EADS, Enterprise Ireland and Science Foundations Ireland in the European Framework Program 7, an EU programme for funding scientific research.

Commenting at the signing Jim Lawler, Director of Industrial Technologies at Enterprise Ireland said: “This agreement represents a meaningful collaboration between EADS and Enterprise Ireland and forms the basis for significant co-operation in future. Enterprise Ireland’s relationship with EADS will greatly benefit Irish companies, researchers and universities in the aeronautics, defence and space technology sectors.”

Commenting on the agreement Hervé Garnier, Senior Vice President for North Europe and Canada at EADS International said: “This initiative is a win-win approach, Irish companies and universities will have a better access to EADS research programmes while EADS will benefit from the technology and R&T knowledge of its Irish partners”

Pierre-Marie Morel, Vice President, International Industrial Cooperation Global Industrial Development at EADS added: “Ireland is playing a key role in our corporate industrial development. We are very proud of our progress to date in Ireland and look forward to further developing relationships between EADS and Irish companies.”

A significant part of the agreement is a Research and Technology collaboration between EADS and The Centre for Telecommunications Value-Chain Research at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and NUI Maynooth. EADS will also fund a number of PhD programmes in key research areas of aerospace and security, with the first programme commencing at TCD. Airbus, a division of EADS and Irish company EireComposites have agreed to cooperate in the development of innovative processing methods for thermoplastic composites.

Olivier Andries, Executive Vice President Strategy and Co-operation at Airbus said: “Airbus has been co-operating with the Irish aviation industry for over ten years and this agreement with Enterprise Ireland gives a significant boost to Airbus's research presence in Ireland. I am convinced that this new cooperation will bring clear benefits for the European aeronautic industry".

EADS and its Divisions have established a strong position on the Irish civil and governmental market over the past 30 years. In civil aviation, Aer Lingus has purchased over 30 planes from Airbus and Aer Arann has just ordered 10 planes made by ATR, another EADS company. In the governmental sector, the Irish Air Corps is currently flying two Eurocopter EC 135, while the Garda Síochána is operating one aircraft of this type and just ordered another. Some years ago the Irish government decided to upgrade the Irish maritime patrol capabilities through the purchase of two EADS CASA CN-235 planes. EADS currently provides communications solutions to the Garda and Irish Rail. EADS and Airbus are located in the IFSC area of Dublin

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2005, EADS generated revenues of € 34.2 billion and employed a workforce of about 113,000. The EADS Group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world's largest helicopter supplier Eurocopter and the joint venture MBDA, the international leader in missile systems. EADS is the major partner in the Eurofighter consortium, is the prime contractor for the Ariane launcher, develops the A400M military transport aircraft and is one of the largest industrial partners for the European satellite navigation system Galileo.