Eurocopter opens new manufacturing center in Mexico

                           
Eurocopter opens a new production center in Querétaro, Mexico.

Eurocopter has expanded its footprint in Mexico and opened a new manufacturing center of excellence at Querétaro. The event was attended by Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, along with other key government, local and Eurocopter officials.

Located at the Aerotech Industrial Park adjacent to Querétaro Intercontinental Airport, this facility will be the single-source production site for structures used in jetliner doors that the company manufactures for Airbus, along with tail booms to equip Eurocopter Ecureuil helicopters. The site also is home to a recently-opened maintenance center specialised in the Ecureuil family of helicopters, which serves the region’s Eurocopter clients operating the popular lightweight rotorcraft.

“Today’s inauguration underscores Eurocopter’s strategy of being present in key geographical regions for its customers, and developing manufacturing capabilities where technological and industrial infrastructure supports value-added production,” said Eurocopter president & CEO Lutz Bertling during comments at the opening ceremony. “In addition, this marks the 30th anniversary of our Eurocopter de México subsidiary, which continues our nearly 50-year presence in the country.”

Also joining invited guests at the Querétaro facility inauguration event were Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, Mexico’s Minister of Transportation and Communications; Idelfonso Guajardo Villareal, Minister of Economy, Lic. Claudia Ruiz Massieu Salinas, Minister of Tourism, and José E. Calzada Rovirosa, Governor of the Mexican state of Querétaro.

“The importance of Eurocopter’s industrial commitment to Mexico is demonstrated by the role of Querétaro’s as the sole manufacturing source for all the aircraft components it will produce,” said Serge Durand, the CEO of Eurocopter de México. “This makes the new facility a vital element in Eurocopter’s global supply chain.”

Construction of the Querétaro manufacturing center began in early 2012. Eurocopter’s market presence in Mexico began in 1964, with the Eurocopter de México subsidiary being established in 1982.

Today, more than 450 Eurocopter helicopters are flying with operators in Eurocopter de México’s area of responsibility, covering Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and the northern sector of South America. This inventory includes the AS350 B3, utilised in public services, private transportation and aerial utility work; the EC145, deployed for oil and gas airlift; the Dauphin family for private transportation, along with oil and gas