Global aircraft manufacturer Embraer finds partner in the Czech Republic

27 Apr. 2011 | CzechInvest | CzechInvest assisted in finding a suitable partner for the company.

The world’s third-largest aircraft manufacturer, Embraer of Brazil, and the largest Czech aerospace-technology firm, AERO Vodochody a.s., will collaborate on the development and production of the new KC-390 multipurpose military transport plane. The companies concluded an agreement on the project in the middle of April during the LAAD defence-technology trade fair in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“The aviation industry in the Czech Republic has always been among the best in the world. I am pleased that after the downturn in the industry at the beginning of the millennium, it is again finding its way to the top. Successes achieved in recent years, not only by AERO, have significantly aided this development. This is evident in the fact that in the past year employment in this sector has grown by nearly seven percent,” says Martin Kocourek, Minister of Industry and Trade.

“The Czech Republic is recording substantial development in the area of manufacturing more complex parts, particularly aircraft assemblies and integration thereof. CzechInvest is striving to maximally contribute to raising awareness of the aviation industry in the Czech Republic among key foreign entities. AERO Vodochody’s cooperation with a top global aircraft manufacturer shows that the Czech Republic has something to offer to foreign partners,” says Miroslav Křížek, CEO of CzechInvest.

“I am proud of the fact that we can be part of such a great team and to cooperate with Embraer on this new project, which will bring exclusive know-how to AERO. It will also ensure production for the Czech aviation industry for many years as well as new jobs, while significantly contributing to exports to Brazil and to income for the Czech Republic’s national budget. I believe that we will justify the trust with which we have been honoured,” says Ladislav Šimek, president of AERO.

Embraer expressed interest in cooperating with Czech manufactures as early as in 2007, when it inquired about production of aircraft parts. Discussions on possible cooperation, which began during a visit by President Václav Klaus to Brazil in November 2009, were supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. The result of cooperation at the government level was then the signing of a Declaration of Intentions between the Czech Ministry of Defence and Brazil in September 2010.

From the beginning, CzechInvest assisted with bringing together the Czech side and the Brazilian aviation giant. The agency presented the Czech aviation industry to Embraer, prepared presentations of potential Czech partners and created space for meetings at the political level. In 2010 CzechInvest organised a Technology Days event in Brazil focused on supporting Czech-Brazilian cooperation in the aerospace industry. Among other things, Czech firms had the opportunity during the event to engage directly in discussions with Embraer and to familiarise the Brazilian company with their products.

Established in 1969, Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A.) is the world’s third-largest manufacturer of commercial jet aircraft in the size category of up to 120 seats and it is also one of Brazil’s leading exporters. The company is headquartered in São José dos Campos, São Paul and has branches, manufacturing plants, and customer service centres in Brazil, China, France, Portugal, Singapore and the United States. The company designs, develops, manufactures and sells aircraft for commercial use and private jet aircraft, and is also involved in the defence sector.

AERO Vodochody a.s., established 1919, is the biggest manufacturer of aviation technology in the Czech Republic. Within its military programme, AERO is historically the world’s biggest manufacturer of jet training planes and a partner of several militaries, especially the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic.