Eurocopter confirms solid 2010 in sales

EADS manufacturer Eurocopter has reported a turnover of €4.8 billion euros, after delivering 527 helicopters in 2010.

The solid revenue figure represented a six per cent increase over 2009, with 2010 seeing the delivery of 28 NH90 multirole military helicopters and 15 Tiger attack helicopters. Fifty-three per cent of Eurocopter’s 2010 consolidated turnover came from new production helicopter deliveries; support and services contributed 36 per cent, while company development and other activities made up the remaining 11 per cent. €100 million in savings were also achieved by the company’s SHAPE program, with an aim to increase that figure to €200 million by the end of 2011.

In a further sign of recovery for Eurocopter, 346 helicopters were ordered last year, the equivalent of the company’s business volume of previous years prior to the peak periods of 2007/2009, representing a value of €4.3 billion. Orders included key Super Puma family contracts for Malaysia and Mexico, along with Ecureuil orders in Russia and the United States.

Eurocopter president and CEO Lutz Bertling said, while 2010 was a “challenging year” for the company in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, “solid advancements” were made, giving hope for a projected market recovery in 2012. “Our strengths for the future will come from Eurocopter’s continually increasing investment in the product range and industrial capabilities, the expansion of our global footprint, along with major enhancements in our services offering,” he said.

By type, Eurocopter booked orders in 2010 for: