Company Has Manufactured Nearly 800 Airframes Since 1996

In a ceremony held at PZL-Swidnik's facility in Poland last week, the 200th AW139 airframe to be manufactured by PZL-Swidnik was accepted by AgustaWestland.

"We are delighted with PZL-Swidnik's major contribution to the AW139 program and that PZL-Swidnik and its employees are benefiting from the sales success the AW139 is having worldwide," said Bruno Spagnolini, Managing Director - Operations. "Our long running successful and expanding cooperation will continue to grow as the sales of our helicopters continue to increase around the world."

Since PZL-Swidnik and AgustaWestland started cooperation in 1996 PZL-Swidnik has manufactured nearly 800 airframes for AgustaWestland. PZL-Swidnik currently manufactures and assembles AW119 Ke, AW109 Power, AW109 LUH, Grand and AW139 airframes, sustaining nearly 1000 skilled staff at its Swidnik plant near Lublin. At current production rates of 15 airframes per month it is expected that PZL-Swidnik will deliver the 1000th airframe to AgustaWestland in the second half of 2009.

The AW139 airframes constructed by PZL-Swidnik supply the two AW139 final assembly lines located at AgustaWestland's facilities in Vergiate, Italy and Philadelphia.

AgustaWestland is the biggest industrial partner of PZL-Swidnik and provides work that represents over 30% of its annual turnover. PZL-Swidnik as a partner in the AW139 program assisted in the design of the aircraft, and manufactured the first prototype airframe in April 2000 -- marking the first time PZL-Swidnik had participated in the construction of a new helicopter with a foreign company.

FMI: www.agustawestland.com. www.pzl.swidnik.pl/