Story ID: 2080113alerts
Eurocopter To Be Renamed Airbus Helicopter
By: Ian Sheppard
Caption: 
Word Count: 229
European aerospace behemoth EADS has aligned its brand with its aircraft manufacturing division to become simply Airbus Group, and is also applying the Airbus brand to its two other main divisions. Thus, Eurocopter will become Airbus Helicopters, and the defense and space divisions, Cassidian and Astrium, will be merged into one unit–Airbus Defence and Space–representing the third division.

The company’s board approved what was a proposal from CEO Tom Enders following a strategic review that he headed. It will now create a detailed plan for the transition to Airbus Group by year-end.

Eurocopter CEO Guillaume Faury confirmed the branding change: “As of January 1, 2014, Eurocopter will become Airbus Helicopters.”

According to Faury, “Eurocopter has grown to be the most international company in the EADS group. Over the past decade we have developed our international footprint in the most emerging markets and are also well known in key countries such as the U.S., Brazil and even in Asia. Our name no longer limits itself to just Europe. Even though you will soon know us under a different name, the scope of Eurocopter’s activities and of the company itself will be unchanged. We will remain a fully fledged helicopter division so we can continue to draw on the synergies provided by the civil and military versions of our aircraft.”