Airbus Helicopters has started construction works at a Super Puma MK 1 assembling plant in Ghimbav, Romania, according to Buna Ziua Brasov newspaper which says investment will rise to 40 million euro. The first civilian helicopter is expected to be produced there in 2007, with military use ones due to be bult starting a year later.
The factory will be built on land owned by IAR Ghimbav, a company which will be the main provider for the new Airbus factory.
The Brasov newspaper reports that works started last month but an official announcement was yet to be made. Guillaume Faury, Airbus Helicopters CEO, said at a ceremony marking the name change from Eurocopter to Airbus Helicopers earlier this year that part of the equipment for assembling Super Pumas had already been moved to the Romanian subsidiary - Eurocopter Romania, which last year completed works on modernising 24 Puma helicopters for Royal Air Force.
Investment in the Ghimbav factory is expected to reach 40 million euro, while IAR Ghimbav is due to invest another 11 million as main provider of the factory.
