Britain’s GKN Aerospace has signaled its intention to bid for stakes in one or more of the Airbus factories now being put up for acquisition or partnership under the troubled European airframer’s Power8 restructuring plan. The strategic acquisition could play a key part in GKN’s ambition to more than double its annual revenues to reach $4.2 billion by 2016.
“Some [of the Airbus] sites would fit strategically with us and would play into key areas of businesses,” GKN Aerospace CEO Marcus Bryson told a press briefing before the Paris Air Show. “Our technology would make them grow,” he added, while also indicating that he is not deterred by the prospect of political turbulence during the implementation of Power8, which would result in the loss of some 10,000 jobs at Airbus. The airframer is looking to sell or open up to outside investment its plant at Méaulte, France, as well as Filton in the UK and Nordenham in Germany. It wants to reach binding agreement on these by mid-July.
