AIRBUS SYSTEMS UNIT TRANSFERS TO AEROLIA
Airbus' wholly owned French aerostructures subsidiary Aerolia has completed its takeover of the airframer's systems unit at Saint-Nazaire, which employs 154 people and makes shaped pipes, welded tubes and subassemblies. Airbus last year created Aerolia and a German counterpart, Premium Aerotec, as part of a strategy to concentrate on its core activities on aircraft architecture and integration. The two units may eventually be sold.
NATIVE ALASKANS BUY ANCHORAGE CARGO FIRM
Akima, an aviation services company owned by more than 12,000 Alaskan native shareholders, has bought Anchorage-based Pegasus Aircraft Maintenance, a nine-year-old company started by two former FedEx Express employees that services 80% of the 250 weekly air cargo stops in Anchorage. Akima, headquartered in Anchorage, is a $330 million company whose projects include provision of aviation and fuelling services at 11 US Air Force bases.
LUFTHANSA CLOSES IN ON 100% OF BMI
BMI will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa from 1 November, when the German carrier acquires the outstanding 20% of BMI currently held by SAS. Lufthansa will pay around £19 million ($30 million) for the stake and hand over another £19 million to SAS to annul rights from the carriers' shareholder agreement from 1999. Under certain conditions SAS would also receive a further payment within the next two years if Lufthansa opts to sell all, or part, of BMI.
UK ASSOCIATION EXTENDS INDIA REACH
ADS, the trade association recently formed by the merger of the UK's Association of Police and Public Security Suppliers, Defence Manufacturers Association and Society of British Aerospace Companies, has opened an office in Bangalore headed by Ashok Saxeena, to complement its existing office in New Delhi. The office is supported by UK Trade & Investment as well as other trade associations and devolved UK administrations.
XIAN BUYS EUROPEAN COMPOSITES MANUFACTURER
Chinese aircraft maker Xian Aircraft has signed an agreement to buy 91.25% of Austrian composite parts maker FACC. The deal, subject to regulatory approvals, will at least double shareholders' equity to €80 million ($120 million). Xian, which makes China's MA60 turboprop, is a major supplier to China's ARJ21 regional jet and C919 programmes, and makes parts for Western airframers such as Airbus, is committed to maintaining operations in Austria.
MAGELLAN TO MACHINE A350 XWB COMPONENTS
Canadian firm Magellan Aerospace's UK subsidiary has secured an Airbus A350 XWB work package to machine large, complex aluminium-lithium parts for the centre wing box including ribs and other fittings. The agreement covers an initial 400 units at yet-to-be-determined prices.
RANGER EXTENDS LOGISTICS HOLDINGS
Private equity consolidator Ranger Aerospace has bought US Logistics, a Fayetteville, North Carolina-based government outsourcing contractor specialising in aircraft technical services and base logistics. Turnover, combined with that of military airfield services and logistics provider CAV International, which Ranger bought earlier this year, is roughly $100 million.
Source: Flight International
