http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2003/5/5/business/gpeuro1&sec=business
Eurocopter focuses more on Msia
BY PAUL GABRIEL IN MARSEILLE, FRANCE
EUROCOPTER, the worlds top helicopter manufacturer, is
intensifying its focus on Malaysia as a potential market for more
of its latest and sophisticated aircraft.
A wholly owned subsidiary of EADS (European Aeronautic, Defence and
Space Co) which is one of the top three aerospace companies in the
world, the French helicopter giant has already sold over 60 civil
and military aircraft such as the Puma, Super Puma, Ecureuil,
Dauphin N2 and N3, and EC-155 to Malaysian operators.
Eurocopter is also the maker of the 23 Alouette IIIs in service
with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) and the Malaysian Armys
aviation wing for more than 40 years.
The firm is presently building six AS 555SN Fennec helicopters for
the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) at its main production site in
Marignane, in Frances southern city of Marseille.
With this 42 million-euro (RM168mil) contract, Eurocopter will be
the only helicopter manufacturer to equip all three divisions of
the Malaysian Armed Forces.
The Eurocopter aircraft at its plant in Marignane in Marseille,
France.
Eurocopters vice-president (Asia-Pacific) Norbert Ducrot said the
creation of Eurocopter Malaysia the latest subsidiary of the
leading helicopter maunufacturer served to reinforce the
Franco-German groups presence in Malaysia.
(The Eurocopter group was formed in 1992 from the merger of the
helicopter divisions of Aerospatiale-Matra of France and
DaimlerChrysler Aerospace of Germany).
Eurocopter made the decision to create a subsidiary in Malaysia
with the view of providing the best support to Malaysian operators
in terms of logistic, technical and maintenance services as well as
to forge a strong link with the local industry.
Malaysia is a very important, potential market for Eurocopter,
especially for military and parapublic aircraft as well as
corporate and civil operators.
Malaysia is also one of the countries with the strongest potential
for economic expansion in South-East Asia and we are fully aware
that your needs for helicopters has significantly increased and
become more specific over the past two years.
We are planning to propose our new state-of-the-art helicopters to
Malaysia, Ducrot said in an interview at the Eurocopter plant in
Marignane recently.
Also present were Commander Yeow Ho Siong and Lt Commander Suhaimi
Sani of the RMNs Fennec Helicopter Project Team who will be based
in Marseille until March 2004 to monitor the Fennec project.
Yeow and Suhaimi have been in Marseille since January 2002 with
three other RMN officers.
Ducrot said the twin-engine AS 555SN light helicopters ordered by
the RMN was the military version of the AS 355N civilian model, and
would be ideal for search and rescue and training missions and
over-the-horizon targeting.
The six helicopters are currently in various stages of production
at our manufacturing plant and we expect the first completed one to
undergo flight testing in May.
These are the first military versions of the AS 355N that we are
manufacturing, and almost 50% of the new helicopters have been
customised for the RMN's needs, he explained.
Ducrot said with the incorporation of Eurocopter Malaysia,
Eurocopter was determined to gain a foothold in Malaysia in
helicopter maintenance services in Malaysia.
The setting up of Eurocopter Malaysia was an important strategic
step for us. We plan to develop our Malaysian maintenance depot
into a regional base, he said.
Eurocopter has started building a new hangar for helicopters and
rotary wing aircraft in Subang, while its administrative office is
based in Kelana Jaya.
Eurocopter is also working with several companies, such as Sapura
Technology, Zetro Aerospace, SME Aerospace and Ikramatic System to
further developing our industrial co-operation, Ducrot said.
In the future, we are exploring the possibility of conducting
customisation work on some of our helicopters in Malaysia, he
pointed out.
Eurocopter is currently bidding to sell its EC-635 helicopters to
the Malaysian army.
Ducrot described the Tiger and NH90 helicopters as two of the most
exciting new products of Eurocopter.
The Tiger uses stealth technology and is the modern-day attack
helicopter. The French and German armed forces will be the first to
have the Tiger range with 80 each, while Australia has ordered 22
units.
As for the NH90, it is a state-of-the-art transport helicopter and
we have received over 250 orders for it.
We are competing (for tenders) in several countries in Asia and we
would like to promote both these aircraft to Malaysia as well, he
added.
He revealed that Eurocopter already had a total of 60 orders for
the NH90 from Finland, Norway and Sweden.
Our targets are to build up the production of the Tiger and NH90
helicopters and develop them into benchmark products.
We also want to make our customer support more effective through a
new structural approach and a denser network of 'on-the-spot'
services, he added.
To a question, Ducrot said it had cost 2bil euros (RM8bil) for
research and development on the Tiger helicopter, which was said to
have a price tag of 20mil Euros (RM80mil) each. On Eurocopters
order books, he said it had received orders worth a total of
US$9bil, adding that this would keep the company busy over the next
four to five years.
