EADS Casa has completed the purchase of 51% of Polish aircraft manufacturer PZL-Okecie as part of a contract to supply Poland with eight C295M transports (left).
EADS Casa paid just $7 million for the stake, but will also absorb a lot of the costs of modernising the Warsaw-based manufacturer's facilities, says Ignacio Alonso Recarte, senior vice-president commercial for EADS Casa's military transport aircraft division.
The Spanish company will take a further 34% share in the Polish manufacturer over the next two years, leaving 15% with PZL-Okecie employees (Flight International 4-10 September).
Under the deal, Casa is obliged to freeze the workforce at 750 staff for at least two years, and maintain production of PZL-Okecie's current types, including the PZL-130 Orlik turboprop basic trainer and the PZL-104 Wilga utility aircraft. Alonso says Casa is undertaking a study which could see EADS marketing these aircraft.
PZL-Okecie, which could be re-branded when CASA is fully absorbed into EADS at the end of next year, will receive production work for the C295 and from "other significant EADS business units" as part of the deal.
Source: Flight International
