European small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are trying
to get a share of China's aviation and aerospace industry, as the
world's second-largest air transport market becomes a battleground
for large multinationals.
More than 150 aviation suppliers, mostly small and medium-sized
enterprises, attended yesterday's Aeromart Beijing. It was the
first time the convention, which has been held for 12 years in
Toulouse, France, was hosted in China. The two-day event was
sponsored by Airbus, China Aviation Industry Corp I (AVIC I) and
AVIC II.
"Airbus wants to help Tianjin develop its aeronautical
activities not only with the A320 final assembly line, but also by
bringing good companies to Tianjin for development," said Marc
Bertiaux, Airbus vice-president for industrial cooperation and
partnership with China.
As China's fleet numbers increase, there is also a growing
after-sales market for foreign companies to support Chinese
airlines by providing maintenance, repair and consulting services
in the country, said Bertiaux.
About 60 percent of the foreign companies attending the event
are suppliers to Airbus.
Some of them will visit the Airbus A320 final assembly line site
in Tianjin on Thursday. The final assembly line, Airbus' first
outside Europe, is now under construction. It will start assembling
the A320 family jet next summer and will deliver the first aircraft
in the first half of 2009.
Around 70 Chinese companies, mostly subsidiaries of AVIC I and
AVIC II, also attended the event.
"Having established stable partnerships with large companies
such as Airbus and Boeing, we want to promote cooperation between
our subsidiaries and SMEs in Europe," said Chen Guanjun,
vice-president of AVIC I's department of marketing and
international cooperation.
LATecis, a French supplier to Airbus, plans to manufacture jigs
and tools for the Tianjin A320 final assembly line in the northern
coastal city, said Jacques Smeyers, LATecis chairman, at the
event.
The company will sign a contract on Wednesday with Chinese
manufacturer Tianjin Saixiang Technology (TST) Co Ltd. TST will
manufacture the jigs and tools designed by LATecis.
"There is a possibility for us to increase our presence in
China, maybe by starting a joint venture. But as an SME we have to
wait so that we can better understand how things work in China. We
are in the observation phase," Smeyers said.
(China Daily September 18, 2007)
