State signs agreement with Eurocopter to kick start production at IAR Ghimbav

The Romanian government signs an agreement with helicopter producer Eurocopter today in order to finalize a project on the premises of IAR Ghimbav, according to Romanian Economy minister Adriean Videanu. One of the objectives of this project is to produce helicopters in Ghimbav, said Videanu. Three competency centers will be created at Ghimbav under this agreement. One of them will take care of maintenance for Puma and Super Puma helicopters, the other one will host an assembly line for Eurocopter helicopters, and the third will be a production line for components and subcomponents. Romania signed an agreement with French Eurocopter SAS in May this year transferring certain assets from local helicopter producer IAR Ghimbav to the French company. Assets include land, buildings and equipments, which will be transferred in stages to Eurocopter. Eurocopter Romania should also take over 120 employees from IAR Ghimbav and will double the staff once it will start production there. Eurocopter is part of EADS. Eurocopter Romania was set up in 2002 as a joint venture between the French company and local IAR Ghimbav, which now owns 49 percent of the shares. IAR Ghimbav is owned by the Romanian state, with 64.8 percent, the rest going to minority shareholders.