Boeing Offshoot Spirit AeroSystems On Short List

European planemaker Airbus named five potential aerospace companies Monday as candidates to take over manufacturing plants in Germany, France and the UK.

The Associated Press reports GKN PLC of Britain; Aviation Latecoere of France; German companies Voith AG and MT Aerospace; and Spirit AeroSystems Inc. are the five candidates.

The latter is an offshoot of American planemaker Boeing; Spirit was created when Boeing sold off the Wichita division of Boeing Commercial Airplanes to Canada's Onex.

There are no front-runners in the bid to take over the five Airbus plants, according to Airbus CEO Tom Enders... and the planemaker won't rush into anything. "We will decide when we are ready," Chief Executive Tom Enders said Monday.

As ANN reported, sale of the plants is mandated by the controversial Power8 restructuring plan put forth by parent company EADS, to resuscitate its ailing aircraft division.

Factories with "for sale" signs in the window include Filton in Britain, Meaulte and St. Nazaire Ville in France, and Nordenham and Varel in Germany. Talks are underway to add Germany's Augsburg plant to the list, as well, according to the AP.

Some plants will be sold outright; others will see ownership transferred to new companies, but will still be kept under the Airbus umbrella.

"Announcements will only be made when the Airbus and EADS management have arrived -- together with the potential partners -- at concrete terms and conditions for a promising long-term partnership," Airbus said.

FMI: www.airbus.com