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Eurocopter - Marignane
[Class A] |
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| Eurocopter Deutschland
GmbH [Class A] D- 81663 Munchen Germany Telephone: 4989-6000-2862 Fax: 4989-6000-4437 |
Created in 1992 from the merger of the helicopter divisions of Aerospatiale-Matra (France) and DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Germany), the Eurocopter Group is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of EADS (European Aeronautic, Defense and Space Company), one of the top three aerospace companies in the world. Through successive integration phases, the group has now become the first totally integrated aeronautics company in Europe with three main entities: the parent company Eurocopter, the German subsidiary Eurocopter Deutschland, and the Spanish subsidiary Eurocopter España. This set-up allows the group to profit from a unified governing structure, while at the same time insuring respect for the national identities of the participating countries.
The Eurocopter Group has a workforce of 12,000, and five main development and production sites located at Marignane and La Courneuve in France; Donauwörth and Ottobrunn in Germany; and Cuatrovientos in Spain. The Group maintains a strong worldwide presence through 16 subsidiaries on the five continents, backed by a dense network of distributors and certified agents. This presence is also reinforced by over 30 years of experience in international cooperation, developed with 34 countries. More than 9,300 Eurocopter helicopters are currently operating in 138 countries on behalf of some 2,400 customers.
American Eurocopter, which has been headquartered in Grand Prairie, Texas since the early 1970s, (known as American Eurocopter since 1992) is a leading provider of helicopters in the U.S. for commercial, police enforcement, homeland defense and other operators. The nearly 400 customers flying some 1,300 Eurocopter rotary-wing aircraft in the U.S. include the U.S. Coast Guard (which operates approximately 100 Eurocopter aircraft); the U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Customs; FBI; federal, state and local government agencies; hospitals and emergency medical services; corporate and business customers, and tourism operators. In order to better support the US Department of Homeland Security, a new facility was built at Columbus, Mississippi for the assembly and customization of the helicopters sold by American Eurocopter to local and federal government organizations.
One reason for this worldwide success is the variety of helicopters marketed. All the categories are covered: light single-engine machines (EC120 B Colibri, Ecureuil/Fennec, EC 130); light twins (Ecureuil/Fennec, EC135/635, BK 117, EC145); medium-sized twins (Dauphin/Panther and EC155 B1); the Tiger combat helicopter; and the 9 to 11 metric ton category (Super Puma/Cougar, EC225/725, and the NH90). The NH90 is the product of a joint cooperative effort with Agusta (Italy) and Fokker (Netherlands). Eurocopter has the largest civil and military range of helicopters in the world.
Thanks to these assets, Eurocopter maintained its position in the world as number one, leading the way once again in the civil and parapublic sectors, and strengthening the export potential of the NH90. The strong and ongoing research and development effort has enabled Eurocopter to successfully follow a purposeful "product" policy aimed at making ongoing improvements to existing aircraft, and creating new machines. Eurocopter produces "the right helicopter at the right time."
Fabrice Brégier is President and CEO of the Eurocopter Group.