Eurocopter, the world’s leading helicopter manufacturer, will be having a dominant presence at the four day Defexpo event, organised jointly by the Defence Exhibition Organisation and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Eurocopter’s presence at Defexpo is one more step towards continuing a long successful partnership with India, which started more than 45 years ago with the licensing agreement to produce the “Alouette” and “Lama” helicopters in India, where they became the famous “Chetak” and “Cheetah” models.
New Delhi, Defexpo 2008, 16 February 2008
Armed by a centennial sales record year in 2007, Eurocopter is showcasing the specifications and mock up models of its comprehensive range of helicopters, like the Armed Reconnaissance & Observation AS 550C3 Fennec and its naval version, the twin engine AS555SP, together with the state of the art multi role 10 ton class EC725 in a highly sophisticated Combat SAR (CSAR) configuration.
Commenting on Eurocopter’s participation at Defexpo 2008, Mr. Norbert Ducrot, Senior Vice President Sales & Customer Relations, Asia Pacific Eurocopter said, “India’s aviation and defence sector is on the verge of embarking one of the most impressive modernisation campaigns ever and Eurocopter provides the biggest range of solutions that are suitable to fulfill the needs of not only the country’s civil aviation sector but also the highly specific requirements of various upcoming RFP’s from all three wings of the Indian Armed Forces. We at Eurocopter are proud to be here to witness the building of India’s future”.
In the military environment, Eurocopter currently has a market share of 55% in India, comprising of HAL-made Cheetah / Chetak helicopters. Considering the current market size of about 740 military helicopters in India and in light of the latest requirements of Indian Army and Air Force for light helicopters; Eurocopter, which is known for its ability to deliver large orders for state-of-the-art military products on time, is well poised to cater to these huge fleet renewal demands. Over the recent years, Eurocopter’s Tiger combat helicopter has earned the reputation of being the most sophisticated multi-role attack & combat support helicopter in the world.
In the civil market, Eurocopter currently has a fleet of 64 helicopters flying in India, representing a share of 40 percent. Eurocopter covers about 50 percent of the oil & gas segment, with 27 of its aircrafts being in service with Pawan Hans and Vectra. The company has 12 aircrafts in VIP/State Government operations with leading groups like Reliance, Raymond, Jindal and Sahara. Charter and tourism helicopters amount up to 6 helicopters, in a fast growing sector. 19 Cheetah/Chetaks are currently flown by civil customers.
In 2007, Eurocopter doubled its objectives in India and sold 15 new aircraft, equivalent to a value of 100 million US $. For 2008, the organisation intends to reach a growth rate of 30 percent by selling more than 20 aircraft, representing a value of approximately 150 Million US$. Main focus segments are Oil & Gas, Corporate & VIP as well as Charter/Heli-Tourism.
Eurocopter has also further strengthened its worldwide industrial footprint by setting up additional subsidiaries in key markets. The company is well-positioned to take up the 2008 industrial, technological and international challenges, and pursue its growth, in a market which is expected to keep on expanding. Bonds with Indian industry are tense, as HAL is part of Eurocopter’s global supply chain for Ecureuil/Fennec airframe components. Thus, Eurocopter contributes to the development of highly-skilled workforce in India, especially in the Bangalore area.
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. 14,000 people. In 2007, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer in the civil and Para public market, with a turnover exceeding 4 billion Euros, orders for 802 new helicopters, and a 53 percent market share in the civil and Para public sectors. Overall, the Group’s products account for 30 percent of the total world helicopter fleet. Its strong worldwide presence is ensured by its 17 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 140 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in the world.
For more information, please contact:
| Gaurav Bhatnagar |
Tel.: +91-0124-4100131 mailto: gbhatnagar@perfectrelations.com |
| Christopher BACH |
Tel.: +49 (0) 906 71 45 65 mailto: christopher.bach@eurocopter.com |
| www.eurocopter.com |
