Kevin O'Toole/LONDON
ATR and British Aerospace Regional Aircraft are studying ways to retain a loose alliance under the Aero International (Regional) banner, after taking the decision to disentangle the sales and marketing of their respective product lines.
A decision was taken at the end of January that the two AI(R) partners would dissolve their two-year-old merger, giving sales, marketing and product support back to the two companies.
Details of the split are still being discussed, with an official announcement expected by the end of March, but AI(R)says that there are plans to keep a broad co-operation in place.
The BAe team marketing the Avro RJ regional jet will stay at the ATR offices in Toulouse, to be headed by AI(R)senior sales vice-president Jeff Marsh. Avro and ATR could also continue to share headquarters in areas such as the USA, and may appear at shows under the AI(R)banner. Customer support, an area that BAe had been keen to retain as a joint effort, will revert to the companies.
Marsh believes that there is room to maintain the relationship built up between BAe and ATR. He adds that the split came as a result of the decision not to proceed with the Airjet programme, leaving the partners unable to move in the direction of joint production.
ATR, which has been based on a consortium arrangement between Aerospatiale and Alenia, will now be set up as a jointly owned company to produce the ATR 42 and 72 turboprops.
Source: Flight International
