EUROCOPTER INDIA
Eurocopter plans to set up Indian subsidiary
Eurocopter will hire qualified workforce for its Bangalore centre
BY A CORRESPONDENT
February 3, 2006
Eurocopter, the world's largest helicopter manufacturer and a
wholly-owned subsidiary of the EADS Group, is about to further expand
and set up a subsidiary in Bangalore, India. Bruno Boulnois, General
Manager of Eurocopter in India said that "As India is one of our
strategic markets, we are about to hire qualified workforce to quickly
implement an efficient organisation in Bangalore."
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According to Norbert Ducrot, Vice President Eurocopter Sales Asia, "in
2006, our business focus in India will be to decisively increase our
business platform by means of sales as well as by successful
industrial deployment. For that reason, we are not only participating
in a tender for Light Helicopters called LORH with our proven AS 550 C
Fennec, but we are currently discussing numerous opportunities for
long-term industrial cooperation with Indian Aerospace industry
specially regarding the 10 tons class helicopter requirement for all
armed forces."
Eurocenter has been successful on the Indian market both in industrial
deployment and in selling a large number of helicopters. It has been
associated with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) which has produced
modified versions of Eurocopter's successful Alouette and Lama models
in its 600 Chetak and Cheetah helicopters. More recently, Eurocopter
has been supplying the rotor blades for HAL's Advanced Light
Helicopter.
In addition, its association with Pawan Hans Helicopter Ltd (PHHL) has
proved fruitful. Pawan Hans, the biggest civil helicopter operator
throughout India and Asia, gained the leading position as approved
Maintenance Centre for the complete Eurocopter Dauphin fleet in South
Asia after it was appointed as "Eurocopter Dauphin Helicopter
Maintenance Centre" in 2002.
India was also Eurocopter's first customer for the EC 135 helicopter,
which was delivered to the Chhattisgarh government in July 2002. This
marked an important step for the model as it gained an opening into
the Indian sub-continent. A second model was sold to the Government of
Uttaranchal for VIP transportation. The EC 135 is the world's
best-selling modern light twin-engine helicopter with a total of 440
units delivered to date.
Apart from Eurocopter, the EADS Group includes the aircraft
manufacturer Airbus as well as the joint venture MBDA, the
international leader in missile systems. It is also the major partner
in the Eurofighter consortium.
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