FORT ERIE, Ontario – Eurocopter Canada today held a grand opening ceremony for its newly expanded headquarters and manufacturing facility in Fort Erie, Ontario, which was presided over by His Excellency Daniel Jouanneau, the French Ambassador to Canada and Mr. Pierre MacDonald, Chairman of the Board for Eurocopter Canada.
The newly expanded facility – which has grown to 135,625 square feet – will contribute to Ontario’s aerospace industry and manufacturing base. The expansion will also allow Eurocopter Canada to further develop its manufacturing of composite components for its worldwide fleet of helicopters – EC135, EC145, AS365 and EC130 models. Eurocopter Canada currently employs 200 people in skills-based jobs, and the current growth is expected to create an additional 30 positions by the end of 2008.
“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 Ambassador Jouanneau. “It shows that global companies like Eurocopter are committed to making long-term investments in countries such as Canada.”
Eurocopter Canada, which currently has 63% marketshare, is expanding in Canada with a view to continuing to build national markets for its line of helicopters. In addition to expanding its main facility in Fort Erie, Eurocopter Canada is officially opening a new logistics facility in Richmond, British Columbia. Eurocopter will deliver its 500th helicopter in Canada this fall and will celebrate its 25th anniversary in Canada in 2009.
“At Eurocopter Group, we truly value the subsidiaries we have established in countries such as Canada,” said Phillippe Harache, Senior Executive Vice-President of Eurocopter Group. “Subsidiary operations such as Eurocopter Canada have allowed our company to grow, diversify and succeed in the global marketplace. Eurocopter Group would not be as strong today without the contributions of our subsidiaries.
Eurocopter Canada is capitalizing on growth opportunities in the light and medium civilian helicopter market. A number of economic sectors in Canada are driving demand for the helicopters – including the Alberta oil patch, the offshore oil and natural gas sector, mining, forestry, law enforcement, and tourism.
“There is no question about it, 2008 is shaping up to be a milestone year for Eurocopter Canada,” said Marie-Agnès Vève, president and chief executive officer of Eurocopter Canada. “We look forward to expanding our presence in the civilian helicopter market in Canada, and contributing to this country’s advanced aerospace industry.”
Eurocopter Canada offers a wide range of products and services for its customers. Not only does Eurocopter Canada provide the widest range of new helicopter models, from the five seat EC120 to the 22 passenger EC225, it also provides technical and logistic support, training for pilots and maintenance engineers, and a host of other services.
About Eurocopter Canada
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a Division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defense and related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 14,000 people. In 2007, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s number one 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 per cent 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 centers. More than 10,000 Eurocopter helicopters are currently in service with over 2,800 customers in 140 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest range of commercial and military helicopters in the world.
| For more information, please contact: | |
| Laura SENECAL Tel: + 905 871-7772 Fax:+ 905 871-3599 laura.senecal[at]eurocopter.ca Eurocopter Canada Limited |
Cécile VION-LANCTUIT Tel: + 33 (0)1 4934 4504 Mob: + 33 (0)6 7283 9067 cecile.vion-lanctuit[at]eurocopter.com Eurocopter |
| Christina GOTZHEIN Tel: + 49 (0) 89 6000 64 88 Fax:+ 49 (0) 89 6000 44 37 christina.gotzhein[at]eurocopter.com Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH |
Pek-Kee SUM Tel: +33 (0)4 4285 1713 Mob: + 33 (0)6 2882 1206 Pek-kee.SUM[at]eurocopter.com Eurocopter |
Website: www.eurocopter.com
