Airbus 2013 Annual Report Download - page 31

ENHANCING GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS — ANNUAL REVIEW 2013INTERVIEW WITH THE CHIEF STRATEGY AND MARKETING OFFICER —
our competitiveness, use our resources very efciently and
improve our access to growth markets. By merging our
defence and space activities, which were previously managed
separately, we have a unique opportunity to benet from
synergies, not only in terms of cost, but also in operations and
sales. Remember that since the creation of EADS in 2000, the
combined revenues of Cassidian, Astrium and Airbus Military
have more than doubled. Many of their activities did not even
exist 14 years ago. It is natural that business boundaries evolve
in parallel. Therefore, I believe that the creation of the newly
merged Airbus Defence and Space Division is now the right
step and this integration will strengthen our position as a market
leader. The Division is the European leader within its sector for
“everything that ies”, as well as a global leader in many of
its segments (Transport, Tanker, Launchers) and a one stop
shop for secured communication through space, air and
ground solutions.
Looking back at the past year, what international
market successes stand out?
In Asia-Pacic, including China and India, the Group achieved
very good results with over € 50 billion of business won
including major commercial aircraft orders coming from China,
Air AsiaX (Malaysia), Lion Air (Indonesia), Srilankan Airlines and
Singapore Airlines. The Japan Airlines order of 31 A350 XWB
family aircraft clearly stands out as a strategic breakthrough in
a previously very difcult market for Airbus. Important helicopter
orders were booked in South Korea, Japan and Thailand as
well as ATR orders in Indonesia, Laos, Taiwan and Thailand.
The MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) contract win in
Singapore also deserves to be mentioned.
We also had a successful year in the Middle East. Amongst major
contracts, the large Etihad order, which includes 50 A350 XWBs,
and the Emirates order for 50 A380s stand out. Important orders
were also received in Saudi Arabia for our defence and security
activities.
In South America, as well as receiving a major single-aisle aircraft
order from Mexico’s VivaAerobus, the Group won helicopter
orders from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Peru. Our ATR joint
venture received orders in Colombia, Brazil, Antigua and Uruguay.
In Europe, we booked a major single aisle contract for Turkish
Airlines as well as an order for helicopters. In Central Asia and the
Caucasus we received orders for helicopters and military transport
aircraft and in Russia we booked an order for commercial aircraft
for AIG and for a Telecommunications satellite.
Thanks to the Group’s success on international markets, our
order book, which now stands at around € 687 billion, is very well
distributed across different regions of the world.
Are there any plans to extend the Group’s existing
international presence?
Increasing industrial presence can be a very effective way to
improve our market share in large and growing markets, as we
have seen with our A320 facility in China. Work is currently
progressing on the new Final Assembly Line in Alabama, USA,
which is due to start delivering A320 family aircraft in 2016.
Beyond that, we are increasing our activity in Mexico, where we
recently opened a high-technology component factory for our
helicopter business. And we’re currently looking very closely
at a possible expanded presence in Poland.
What’s the current status with the Group’s
services strategy?
As I mentioned earlier, our services business has progressed
well in recent years. Services today account for some 15% of
Airbus Group revenues with up to 42% of the helicopters
business. Again, we need to focus on our strengths: our unique
platform know-how. With a doubling of the Airbus eet in the next
20 years and 800 new military platforms entering service over
the next veyears alone, we have a unique opportunity to grow
and shape a long term protable business while adding high
value to our customers on and around our products.
What about potential acquisitions?
Acquisitions are tools to reach our strategic goals and we
have the resources to act should the opportunity present itself.
However, major acquisitions are not on the table in the
foreseeable future. Our priority is to focus on our core strengths,
successfully execute our programmes and deliver enhanced
competitiveness wherever we operate. I believe that with our
strategic focus, our strong portfolio of products and our
unrivalled aeronautics know-how, we can continue to succeed
on the global markets in the years ahead.
“The newly merged Airbus Defence
and Space Division will strengthen our
position as a market leader.”
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