CBI Member, Airbus has announced plans to increase production at the company’s A320 final assembly line in Tianjin. The European aviation manufacturer has said that it is enjoying fast and stable growth within the China market, with the A320 in service with all the ‘Big 4’ Chinese airlines.
Currently, Airbus assembles an average of four-and-a-half A320 aircraft a month in Tianjin, and it will deliver a total of 52 A320s this year. The company plans to increase production so that by early next year, the Tianjin assembly line will produce five A320 aircraft a month, with this figure increasing to six A320s a month by the end of 2019.
The production ramp-up follows an agreement made between Airbus and the Chinese Government during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to China in January.
This week also sees Airbus celebrate 10 years of operations in Tianjin. Over the last decade, the facility has expanded to become the company’s third-largest single aisle assembly line after Toulouse and Hamburg,
In line with its expansion plans, the aircraft manufacturer also has plans to expand A330 production at the facility. According to Airbus COO, Francois Mery, "[Airbus] plans to extend the work in Tianjin to the A330neo, and we are expected to deliver the first A330neo aircraft by early 2020.”
According to Airbus, by 2020, the total output from the cooperation between Airbus and Chinese firms is expected to reach more than $1 billion. The value of cooperation last year was $641 million.
Airbus currently takes approximately half of market share in China.
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