ANN/CHINA DAILY – Airbus is committed to increasing its investment in China, its largest single-country market, and strengthening its supply chain by collaborating with more Chinese suppliers, including startups.
This move is driven by China’s demand for new aircraft and the rapid recovery of the air travel industry. Notably, Airbus celebrates the 15th anniversary of its Tianjin final assembly facility, established in 2008 as its first commercial aircraft assembly line outside of Europe. Airbus plans to expand its A320 fleet’s final assembly capacity in Tianjin with a second line, set to begin operations and deliveries by the end of 2025, with a high level of confidence in meeting this deadline.
Airbus Chief Operating Officer Alberto Gutierrez said he was impressed with the country’s development and infrastructure and Airbus will continue to invest in China.
“As a foreign company, we have been developing in China for decades. We are extremely confident in China. Our growth and investment in China speak for themselves,” Gutierrez said.
Meanwhile, Airbus executive vice-president and Airbus China CEO George Xu added that China’s economic growth relies on globalisation and connectivity. China aims to achieve high-quality development by focusing on innovation and decarbonisation, and Airbus can play a crucial role in supporting such a trend, he said.
Currently, Airbus operates four A320 final assembly sites worldwide, in Hamburg, Germany; Toulouse, France; Mobile, Alabama, the United States; and Tianjin, China.
The company said it tailors the management and operations of its final assembly lines in different regions to local conditions. Tianjin embodies a practical culture and the Tianjin line boasts significant competitiveness and growth opportunities.
Airbus manages over 13,000 suppliers globally. In the post-COVID era, it aims to gradually increase production capacity and better maintain the stability of its supply chain. The company also plans to directly manage more second- and third-tier suppliers in addition to first-tier.
In China, Airbus has some 200 suppliers. Chinese suppliers have been doing well in terms of competitiveness and safety, it said. In 2020, the total value of Airbus’ supply chain in China reached USD1 billion.
Airbus said it is considering the potential to extend cooperation with more Chinese startups as its suppliers, and it would like to recommend those Chinese companies to its research centre in Suzhou Industrial Park in Jiangsu province.
