Recent industry scuttlebutt that Daher Aerospace will take a majority stake in EADS Socata is likely to be confirmed next month following “exclusive negotiations” between the two companies announced last month. Although an EADS spokesman said the negotiations would not be complete before next month, French business daily Les Echos reported that EADS would keep 30 to 40 percent of Socata’s share capital, selling the rest and giving operational control to Daher as majority partner.
A tie-up between the two companies has been the subject of speculation for months. Socata CEO Jean-Michel Leonard said in January that his company had an exclusive deal with Daher to bid for packages of work on the A350 that required Socata to provide investment of ?100 million ($155 million). The companies were awarded a contract to provide the landing-gear doors for the new Airbus A350XWB. Socata also has a separate bid outstanding to supply engine pylons for that aircraft.
