ATR has reported a record turnover of US$ 1.3 billion
for 2008. The result continues the strong growth of ATR since the
recovery of the turboprop market in 2005, and represents an impressive
increase of around 140% in the last three years.
Stéphane Mayer, ATR CEO, said, “The outstanding annual turnover achieved in
2008 is the recognition to the strong efforts that we have done in
a particularly difficult year taking into account the global
economic context. Despite such difficulties, we have achieved an
important rate of growth, including a doubling of aircraft
deliveries in two years, while keeping one of our highest
historical backlogs. In such complicated times we are specially
gratified by the confidence shown both from our current operators
and our new customers.”
He added, “We have intensified our
worldwide expansion with the aim of being closer to our operators,
to support them and to provide them a high-quality service. We are
proud of having achieved also a main milestone by powering on and
starting the ground tests of the ATR -600 series, the most
advanced regional turboprop aircraft under development.”
“Despite the current difficult
times, the demand for turboprops is here for the long
term. We will continue to develop our product and our
services to maintain our leading position of over 50% in
the turboprop market,” Mayer concluded.
2008 Status
ATR
booked orders for 42 new aircraft and options for
14 aircraft in 2008. 23 of these orders have been booked with
carriers in the Asia Pacific region, thus confirming the
importance of this zone in the success of ATR since the recovery
of the turboprop market. In addition to this, ATR added 5 new
customers in 2008, representing almost 40% of the total orders of
the year.
Since the recovery of the turboprop market, ATR
has booked net orders for 295 new aircraft. From the beginning of
the programme, ATR has sold 979 new aircraft (421 ATR 42s and 558
ATR 72s).
ATR portfolio is today composed of some 140
operators in some 80 countries.
ATR delivered 55 new
aircraft in 2008, versus 44 in 2007 and 24 in 2006,
thus representing a growth of some 130% in two years. As of
December 31st 2008, ATR has delivered a total of 810 aircraft (403
ATR 42s and 407 ATR 72s).
ATR finished 2008 with a backlog
of 169 aircraft, which represents over two and a half years of
production. Among the backlog, there is a total of 39 ATR -600
series aircraft, thus showing the confidence the customers placed
in this new version.
With its US$1.3 billion in 2008, ATR
reached a record in the annual turnover, which
represents an increase of around 140% in the last three
years.
ATR achieved in 2008 an important milestone with the
power-on and the beginning of the ground tests, as scheduled on
the development plan, of the ATR -600 pre-series aircraft.
In 2008, ATR continued the
reinforcement of its customer support activities and
positioned a new ATR training simulator in Kuala Lumpur.
ATR has organized two different cycles of conferences
in different places of the world, one covering the overall
operators conference and the other covering more specifically the
training activities. The annual turnover of the customer support
activities also reached in 2008 a record, with US$ 240 million.
In addition to this, ATR inked in 2008 an important Global
Maintenance Agreement (GMA) covering the fleet of both Malaysia
Airlines’ subsidiaries, MASwings and Firefly.
To face the
challenges of the increased activity, ATR increased in 2008 its
workforce up to 860 employees. The total ATR staff increased some
33% in the last two years.
Perspectives 2009
In
terms of deliveries, ATR plans to deliver more than 60 new
aircraft during 2009. In order to cope with the current financial
situation, ATR will strengthen its activities to assist its
clients in order to source the optimal financial arrangements on
the market for their aircraft deliveries. For 2009, ATR targets a
turnover of over US $ 1.4 billion.
Concerning the support and services activities, ATR
will officially recognize this year a certain number of MRO
providers in key areas of the world, to provide guidance and
ensure the best quality of maintenance to the family of ATR
operators. In addition to this, ATR is evaluating further
developments of its regional policy. This mainly includes the
evaluation of further training centers in zones such the USA,
Latin-America and Africa.
In 2009, ATR will continue the
development of the ATR -600 series. The ATR pre-series aircraft
will do its maiden flight this year. The entry into service of the
first ATR -600 series aircraft is scheduled for 2011.
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