Brazil will become Eurocopter's "fourth home country", after France, Germany and Spain, as the helicopter manufacturer ramps up its industrial presence and sales there, predicts chief executive Lutz Bertling.

"We intend to build up a full helicopter industry there," he said at a media seminar on the eve of the show hosted by parent company EADS.

Eurocopter's Brazilian subsidiary Helibras is building a factory in Itajuba to assemble and maintain EC725s being acquired by the Brazilian armed forces. The new line will result in a doubling of production capacity at Helibras, which currently assembles AS350 Ecureuil light helicopters and a doubling of its current 300-strong workforce.

Eurocopter EC725
 © Eurocopter
Eurocopter's Brazilian subsidiary Helibras is building a factory in Itajuba to assemble and maintain EC725s being acquired by the Brazilian armed forces

Brazil's booming economy, extensive interior and long coastline creates opportunities in the military, parapublic and private sectors, as the country looks to exploit offshore oil markets, tackle organised crime and bolster its armed forces. The country is also hosting the soccer World Cup in 2014 and the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.

The Itajuba facility will be completed by the end of 2011, with EC725 assembly beginning the following year and first deliveries at the end of 2012.

At the time, Bertling said the development marked "an important new step in the 32-year history of Helibras, as well as in Eurocopter's relationship with Brazil, which now will become even more part of our global supply chain".

The EC725 is Eurocopter's latest version of its Super Puma/Cougar helicopter family. Brazil signed a contract in December 2008 to acquire 50 of the twins for the country's armed forces, the third-largest export contract in Eurocopter history.

The phrase "fourth home country" echoes one that EADS often uses to describe the UK, which despite having no shareholding in the European conglomerate represents more than a tenth of its workforce. However, Eurocopter has no facilities in the country beyond a sales and service centre in Oxford.

Source: Flight Daily News

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