By Skies Magazine | February 5, 2014 Estimated reading time 2 minutes, 11 seconds.
Airbus Helicopters Canada (AHCA) is to begin manufacturing composite engine cowlings for the EC225 and EC725, after winning a competitive process from its parent company for the production work. The move will add approximately 40 highly-skilled workers to the 235 that are currently employed at the Fort Erie, Ont., facility.
Romain Trapp, CEO of Airbus Helicopters Canada, made the announcement on Feb. 4 in front of an audience of employees and dignitaries, including Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, who came to tour the facility. “With this multi-million dollar investment, Airbus Helicopters is demonstrating its confidence in and commitment to Ontario and Canada,” said Trapp. He said AHCA, one of 21 Airbus Helicopters subsidiaries around the world, is known for its composite component manufacturing,thanks to the expertise of its team and its competitive manufacturing capabilities.
The company currently manufactures composite components for the EC130 and AS350 B3 (engine cowlings and fairings), EC135 (stabilizers, end plates, hub caps and boarding steps), and the EC145/UH-72 Lakota (engine cowlings and boarding steps). “Close to one third of our workforce is already dedicated to manufacturing composite components,” said Trapp. “We are increasing our composite manufacturing workforce by more than 50 per cent to support new composite work, and we see this trend continuing in the long term.”
AHCA will begin manufacturing the engine cowlings for the EC225 and EC725, the largest parts to be manufactured by the company, by year-end. Full production is expected to be in place by the second quarter of 2015. At the beginning of 2014, Airbus Helicopters was manufacturing approximately 20 EC225s and 10 EC725s a year.
