対米全面テロ

Airbus could overtake Boeing in next few yrs-EADS
Mon November 25, 2002 12:14 PM ET

BERLIN, Nov 25 (Reuters) - European plane maker Airbus could pull ahead of Boeing in the next few years and will deliver more planes than its competitor in 2003, the co-head of European aerospace group EADS EAD.DE was quoted as saying on Monday.
Airbus, which is 80-percent owned by EADS EAD.PA , and 20 percent by Britain's BAE Systems Plc BA.L , was expected to deliver 300 planes in 2003, the German co-CEO of EADS Rainer Hertrich told Die Welt daily according to an advance release.

U.S. competitor Boeing BA.N was only expected to deliver between 270 to 290 planes next year, Hertrich added.

"Airbus could be slightly ahead (of Boeing) in the next few years, because our existing orders are higher," he said.

"Our strategic aim has always been a market share of 50 percent, and now we're drawing even with Boeing in production numbers as well. As our products are more modern, a market share of '50 percent plus' can be expected in the long term."

Airbus returns looked worse than those of Boeing on first sight, but Airbus invested significantly more in research and development, he added.

"Adjusting for these future investments, Airbus yields are significantly higher than those of Boeing," he said.

Hertrich said a reduction in Germany's order for the A400M military transport plane had not been discussed with Airbus.

The German Defence Ministry has said it is trying to cut its order of 73 A400M military transport planes in negotiations with its European partners as it reviews its procurement needs.

Germany has only budgeted for 40 planes so far, but it must commit to more to make the eight-nation, 18 billion-euro project viable. The A400M would be built by Airbus Military, an affiliate of Airbus.

"The A400M is coming. It is urgently needed, and there is no economic alternative to it," Hertrich said. He added prices for the planes could become more expensive if orders were reduced.

"There are clear rules for what happens when one country reduces its orders...The treaty also says that prices per plane are not to remain the same if order numbers change," he said.

EADS warned earlier this month it was becoming more cautious on its outlook for 2004, and pushed back a goal to boost its operating margin, a measure of profitability, to 10 percent by then. In the first nine months of 2002, its margin was 5.1 percent.

EADS made those remarks as it posted a 34-percent drop in third-quarter operating profit due to lower Airbus deliveries and ongoing weakness in key non-Airbus divisions.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=1802112