US avionics specialist Rockwell Collins is going for growth in 1998, says Bob Chiusano, vice-president and general manager of Collins Avionics and Communications division.
"We've got a strategic plan. We are looking at 8% growth in all markets we serve," he says.
Rockwell Collins is here (Stand A1011) with a re-organised and improved corporate structure after the company divested itself of its civil and military aerospace operations to concentrate on avionics.
One-quarter of its annual revenue of around $10 billion comes from the avionics and communications division; one-tenth of its revenue is military business. Says Chiusano:"We are now looking at common technology strengths across our businesses to create centres of excellence, bodies of people and tools, which are re-usable elements that can migrate into unique individual businesses to create unique solutions for customers.
"We are not going to approach the defence business as an old-style defence supplier would. We are going to get it by increasing our market share. We are going to get it by being different, through a commercial approach and integration. Commercial communications are growing at an exponential rate," he says. "Military customers want access to this stuff, to buy commercial hardware. We can help.
"Our customers have changed. They are now performance-based, not requirements-based. We hear nothing but good things from customers about how we are going to the market as a unified company."
Chiusano says the company have a long-term view of the Asia-Pacific economic situation.
"These people are our customers and they need us now. A creative organisation like us can help provide them with commercial solutions, alternative organisational processes.
"When you are going through strife, you need out-of-the-box thinking. Now is the time to be here - it sends a sign to customers and customer focus is what we are about."
Source: Flight Daily News