EADS to become Airbus Group

EADS have conducted a strategic review of its businesses and has made two important decisions.

Firstly, the Group plans to integrate Airbus Military, Astrium and Cassidian into one Defence and Space Division.

Secondly, the Group will enhance integration and cohesion by renaming the Group and its Divisions using the globally recognised Airbus brand.

The Airbus Group will consist of three Divisions:

Airbus, responsible for all commercial aircraft activities.

Airbus Defence & Space, home to the Group’s defence and space activities including Military Transport Aircraft.

Airbus Helicopters, comprising all commercial and military helicopter activities.

Airbus Helicopters, with its civil and military products, will remain unchanged. The rotorcraft technology is very particular and it’s necessary to maintain the strong synergies between civil and military products.

Implementation is planned to start step-by-step on 1 January 2014 and will be completed in the second half of 2014. It is designed to support the Group’s Flightpath 2015 for improved shareholder returns.

Several regulatory milestones, works council consultations and other approval procedures have to be accomplished before the changes can come into full effect.

Tom Enders, EADS CEO commented: “What we are unveiling today is an evolution, not a revolution. It’s the next logical step in the development of our company. We affirm the predominance of commercial aeronautics in our Group and we restructure and focus our defence and space activities to take costs out, increase profitability and improve our market position. The renaming simply gathers the entire company under the best brand we have, one that stands for internationalisation, innovation and integration – and also for some two thirds of our revenues. It reinforces the message that ‘we make things fly’.”