Airbus Hélicoptères, one of the world leaders in the sector, expects an "appreciable" drop in orders linked to the coronavirus pandemic, said its president, Bruno Even, in an interview published Saturday by the daily La Provence .
"There will be a very large drop in orders from private customers who face uncertainty putting their projects on hold and from state customers who delay their investments", says Bruno Even. "We expect a significant drop but the impact will be felt over the years 2021, 2022, 2023," he adds.
"Hiring freeze"
The helicopter division of the aeronautical group is based in Marignane, near Marseille, and manufactures civil and military aircraft. It achieved sales of 1.2 billion euros in the first quarter, up 19% compared to the same period last year.
"Public orders can play a damper role," judges the president of Airbus Hélicoptères. The French government, which has set up an 8 billion euro support plan for the automotive industry, is preparing one for the aeronautical industry, victim of the cascade effect of the collapse of traffic airline and financial difficulties of airlines, led to cancel or postpone orders.
On the employment side, Airbus Hélicoptères, which normally employs 8,000 people at the Marignane site, has decided to "freeze hiring" and "minimize the use of temporary workers and subcontracting".
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- Marignane
- Coronavirus
- Economic crisis
- Helicopter
- Airbus