Marignane, 06
October
2009
During the official visit of the French President to Kazakhstan, EADS and Eurocopter signed a cooperation agreement with the sovereign wealth fund SAMRUK-KAZYNA to create a public-private joint venture in Kazakhstan in order to develop helicopter activities. The project, which includes both European and Kazakh partners, was launched as part of the strategic partnership agreement signed between France and Kazakhstan.
The purpose of the joint venture is to transfer skills and know-how to local partners in order to develop a fully integrated and independent helicopter service industry in Kazakhstan. The new agreement demonstrates Eurocopter's long-term commitment to the Kazakh government and its people, and also reflects the strategic position of the country in Central Asia and its potential for economic growth.
Nearly every product in the Eurocopter range is already present in Kazakhstan in the public and private sectors and in the oil & gas industry. An agreement was also signed with a local operator to open the first maintenance center in Kazakhstan. The officially Eurocopter certified new center will soon be serving customers in the Almaty region.
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a Division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defence and related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approx. 15,600 people. In 2008, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer in the civil and parapublic market, with a turnover of 4.5 billion Euros, orders for 715 new helicopters, and a 53 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s products account for 30 percent of the total world helicopter fleet. Its strong worldwide presence is ensured by its 18 subsidiaries on five continents, along with a dense network of distributors, certified agents and maintenance centres. More than 10,000 Eurocopter helicopters are currently in service with over 2,800 customers in more than 140 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in the world.
