Story ID: 
French Helicopter Operators Consolidate Further
By: Thierry Dubois
Caption: Newly formed group, which operates a combined 117 helicopters, brings Mont Blanc Hélicoptères and Hélicoptères de France under the same banner.
Word Count: 360

The trend of consolidation among French helicopter operators continues, with the HBG holding company taking over the Loc’Héli group. HBG is adding three companies to its portfolio–Hélicoptères de France (HDF), HDF Maintenance and Helifirst. The consolidation brings HBG’s combined fleet to 117 aircraft, which it claims is the largest in the country.

To its majority stakes in Mont Blanc Hélicoptères (MBH), SwiftCopters, Eagle Valais and LB Airpark, HBG is adding full ownership of HDF and HDF Maintenance. Its minority share in Helfirst joins its minority stakes in Chamonix Mont Blanc Hélicoptères, HeliShare, Aero Technic’s Color and AD Software.

Activities of the new group include aerial work, sightseeing flights, commercial passenger transport, heli-skiing, search-and-rescue, EMS, news gathering, training, aircraft management and maintenance. One Swiftcopters-operated AS355N light twin is used in oil-and-gas service, offshore from the Democratic Republic of The Congo. HDF recently signed a contract with the French Army for the operation of a Super Puma.

HDF, the operator in charge of the Tour de France’s air-to-ground video, will be an important asset in terms of visibility and prestige.

Both HBG (a Franco-Swiss firm) and Loc’Héli are family businesses, and HBG CEO Renaud Blanc counts on the merger to help drive international growth. Bases are in France (with a strong concentration in the Alps), Switzerland, Algeria and the Democratic Republic of The Congo. The combined number of permanent employees stands at 210, with an additional 30 seasonal jobs. By integrating Loc’Héli, HBG will increase its revenue by 75 percent, to €58 million ($64 million).

A spokesman dismissed speculation that MBH is ailing. “The company did lose out some EMS business to competitors, but EC135s are easy to use elsewhere or sell,” he told AIN. He added that the group has embarked on a fleet-renewal effort, mentioning light twins specifically. Earlier versions of the EC135 will be replaced with H135s and earlier AS350B2s with B3es.

A previous wave of consolidation in France 10 years ago saw the formation of the SAF Helicap group.