Dr Lutz Bertling succeeded Fabrice Bregier as Eurocopter chief executive in October, having headed the manufacturer's government business and German facilities since 2003. Born in Kiel in 1962, and a mechanical engineer by training, he was previously a senior executive at DaimlerChrysler Rail Systems and EADS's military aircraft division.
Eurocopter delivered 381 helicopters and booked orders for 651 in 2006. What lies ahead for 2007?
We are a fast-growing company. We thought 2005 would be an all-time high, but 2006 was a historic year. We will see what 2007 brings, but we are running out of labels.
Where do you see the next big market?
There are two emerging markets where we should be selling hundreds of helicopters - India and China - but the regulations and infrastructure do not permit it. In India, only 10-20 helicopters are sold each year. But we are preparing for a time when these regulations will fall.
What about your presence in China?
We have been in China since the early 1980s and our footprint there is credible and growing. We have a significant workforce there now. China's ambitions and our plans are not restricted to aerostructures. Chinese industry can contribute significantly to [joint development of the 6t-class] EC175. There is a market for 30-50 EC175s, but in a decade the overall civil market in China will be as big as the US market.
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Bertling: looking to China and India |
Will Russia become as big a market?
We inaugurated a Russian facility in April and just signed an MRO [maintenance, repair and overhaul] agreement with Gazprom Avio for our fleet there. Russia is one of the markets that is growing strongly. The economy is reliant on natural resources and there are strong sectors in corporate and VIP missions as well as medical services and parapublic, which is slowly opening to Western products.
Any other markets to watch?
Australia is also important. Five or six years ago, we were a nobody. Now [Eurocopter subsidiary] Australian Aerospace is the number four military supplier and we have built such a credible footprint that we are now seen as a major local player. They are not buying from a European company - they are buying from an Australian company.
Military products accounted for 53% of 2006 bookings. Are we seeing a shift?
We have been perceived as a commercial manufacturer, but we have been making military helicopters for 40-45 years. Our defence business will never be as relevant as Boeing and Sikorsky in the USA, because we are not selling 1,000-plus helicopters to one customer in one configuration, but we have always had a big business. Now, however, we're in a different league with the NH90 and Tiger.
Can you penetrate the US defence market beyond the recent Light Utility Helicopter win?
As a European supplier, we need to offer something that is definitely the best solution for their mission. If we are just as good in our mission capability, they will go for the US company. We won [the US Army] LUH without [partnering with] a US prime.
Is there any chance of a joint US-European heavylift helicopter?
In a word, yes. Clearly there is a requirement for a 36t helicopter. There is a Franco-German initiative and a NATO initiative, and there seems to be a stronger and stronger commitment from Europe. We are speaking to possible US partners.
Source: Flight International
