Germany to get carbon fibre technology in Airbus cuts, report

Feb 27, 2007, 8:43 GMT

Berlin - Airbus is to cut a total of 8,000 jobs from its payroll, with 3,500 being lost in Germany and 4,200 in France, the German daily Die Welt reported Tuesday, citing company sources.

Although the new A350 range, using advanced carbon fibre technology, would largely be built in France, the fuselage would be made in Germany, the report said. This meant the new light-weight technology would be developed in Germany.

Die Welt said it had information that production of the successful A320 range would move entirely to Germany.

Late Monday, EADS, the parent company of Airbus, announced the board of directors had unanimously approved the 'Power8' plan to restructure Airbus, which has been hit by delays and losses related to its A380 'superjumbo.'

The programme is to be discussed with the Airbus European Works Council on Wednesday.

Through the cuts, Airbus aims to achieve an increase in operating profit of some 2.1 billion euros (2.7 billion dollars) in 2010, along with an cumulative increase in cash flow of 5 billion euros over the three years 2007-10.

EADS is to announce results for 2006 on March 9, when the losses at Airbus will become apparent.

An announcement last week by French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin that 10,000 jobs would be lost at Airbus sparked a furore in Germany and France, where most of the company's staff of 57,000 are employed.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Jacques Chirac met Friday near Berlin to stake out their respective country's interests. They agreed that cuts had to be made and that they should fall equally on the two countries.

It was also clear at the summit that, apart from the job losses, the division of the technological expertise was of key importance to the two leaders.

Airbus has its major assembly plants in Toulouse and Hamburg, with several smaller facilities in France and Germany. The wings are made in Britain.