Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier is presenting a bullish outlook for its regional jet and turboprop business, with a potential to take a significant slice of the 20-year forecast that is slated to reach $393bn (”195.8bn).
Addressing the media at Bombardier”s briefing in Belfast today (1 May) president and chief operating officer aerospace, Pierre Beaudoin (pictured), together with his senior staff from Canada, maintained that future projects such as the CRJ1000 and C series family of aircraft would drive the business forward.
”We are in a growth phase where revenues are increasing and we will launch aircraft aggressively,” he said, adding: ”We also think there is a lot to be gained by making ourselves more effective with partners in China for example to make the system competitive.”
Beaudoin insisted that Bombardier continued to ”lead this industry,” but cautioned that waste elimination through programmes such as ”Achieving Excellence”, to which 100% of employees have pledged their support, was crucial to driving growth and profit.
Bombardier says that the 20-year Commercial Aircraft Market forecast calls for 11,200 new deliveries of machines from 20-149 seats up to 2026. Airline capacity is due to double and the trend towards larger aircraft, coupled with sustained higher fuel prices, will demand lower operating costs, maintains Bombardier.
A visit to Bombardier”s state-of-the-art factory in Belfast highlighted how the manufacturer is attempting to offer lower operating costs as the highly skilled workforce assembles a vast array of fuselages and nacelles across the company portfolio.
”Everyone in Bombardier sees how to contribute to our aerospace business,” said vice president engineering & supply chain, Jean Feguin. ”Every manufacturing site has a plan to improve performance and we have invested for example, in automated riveting. ”We need to be more innovative and operational improvements will up our profitability.”