Founded in 1969, They Mark 40 In The U.S.
When most of us turn 40, our
friends bring black balloons and poorly written greeting cards
about how we're over the hill. But American Eurocopter
held its own birthday party Friday, marking 40 years in
the United States with a special anniversary event at company
headquarters in Grand Prairie, Texas.
The “All American Celebration” commemorated the
company’s achievements since it was in founded 1969, when
Aerospatiale and LTV Aerospace formed Vought Helicopter in Texas.
Since that time, the company has developed into one of the
nation's successful helicopter companies.
The company now employs more than 750 employees in the U.S.,
with well over 500 located in Grand Prairie and the rest at
facilities in Columbus, Miss. These employees include engineers,
production technicians, program specialists and administrators in
manufacturing, marketing, technical support and training for their
product line in the United States. The company’s facilities
in Grand Prairie and Columbus generate about $740 million annually
in total economic impact in the United States and support over
1,000 suppliers nationwide. Recent additions in Grand Prairie
include new delivery and training centers, including a full-motion
flight simulator, a Customer Service and Fleet Operations Center,
and a two-story avionics shop and engineering center.
American Eurocopter hold a strong market share in the U.S.
rotorcraft industry. The company says this reflects their
development as well as its strong organization, product design and
planning. The company is the U.S. arm of Eurocopter Group, the
world’s largest helicopter manufacturer, and it is also a
subsidiary of EADS North America.
“Eurocopter is focused on designing, building and
delivering industry-leading helicopters and services,”
explains Dr. Lutz Bertling, President and CEO of Eurocopter Group.
“American Eurocopter’s success in the United States
represents our commitment to bringing technologically advanced
products to the largest commercial and military market in the
world. We are proud of these achievements, of the increasing role
our American arm plays in the group and of this 40-year
celebration.”
“We take pride in our U.S. heritage and the role our
operations have played in our growth and leadership in the
rotorcraft industry,” said Marc Paganini, President and CEO
of American Eurocopter. “It has been a great 40 years —
and the best is yet to come.”