Airbus JV to begin assembly operations in China

Jun. 26, 2008 (China Knowledge) - Airbus has started shipping aircraft components and sub-assemblies to its joint venture in China. The first aircraft from the new single-aisle assembly line in the Chinese port city of Tianjin is expected to be delivered to Sichuan Airlines in the first half of 2008.

Six jigs loaded with inputs for an A320 have departed from Hamburg on a barge. They are expected to reach China in about a month and assembly work would begin by August.

"Transportation of these aircraft sub-assemblies marks another important milestone for our assembly line in China. Construction work on the site is progressing successfully and training of Chinese workers at our production facilities in Toulouse and Hamburg is going very well," said Alain Flourens, Airbus Executive Vice President for the A320 Programme.

The Chinese assembly line will produce aircraft mainly for the Chinese market, where Airbus expects passenger traffic to grow fivefold over the next 20 years, resulting in demand for a total of 2,670 new passenger aircraft.

The assembly line in China is a joint venture between Airbus (51%) and the Chinese Industry Consortium (49%). The latter is owned 60% by Tianjin Free Trade Zone (TJFTZ), China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I) holds 20%, and China Aviation Industry Corporation II (AVIC II) has the remaining 20% stake in the consortium's overall 49% share.