Driven by growth in its support and services business, Eurocopter posted a 12.5 per cent rise in revenues in 2011 to 5.4 billion euros (AUD$6.7).
The growth came despite a slight decrease in deliveries from 527 helicopter in 2010 to 503 last year. Net orders, however, bounced back from 346 to 457, reflecting modest market recovery. The world’s largest civil helicopter manufacturer, Eurocopter said it expects to receive around 500 orders this year.
‘If you look at the order intake, clearly the market is coming back,” Eurocopter CEO Lutz Bertling told a Paris press conference, according to Reuters. “Cancellations are back to a very low level.”
A subsidiary of Airbus parent EADS, Eurocopter said civil helicopters accounted for 68 per cent of sales while military aircraft such as the Tiger attack helicopter and NH90 making up 32 percent.
Exports accounted for 77 per cent of sales. The company said it expects continued weak demand from Europe even as demand elsewhere is predicted to rebound.
Support and services grew to 38 per cent of company revenue while deliveries made up 51 per cent.
