Delegation from People's Republic of China Visits Bombardier Aerospace's Toronto Facility
In line with the long history of strategic business cooperation between Bombardier Inc. and China, a senior delegation from the People’s Republic of China visited Bombardier Aerospace’s manufacturing facility in Toronto today. His Excellency Hu Jintao, President of the People’s Republic of China, led the delegation, which was accompanied by the Honourable Peter Van Loan, Minister, International Trade, Canada and the Honourable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario.
Several representatives of Bombardier, including Pierre Beaudoin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bombardier Inc., Guy C. Hachey, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bombardier Aerospace, Dr. Jianwei Zhang, President, Bombardier China and Gary R. Scott, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, were on hand to host the delegation, which included some members of the Chinese contingent that is currently in Toronto for the G20 Summit.
During the visit, Dr. Zhang presented an overview of Bombardier’s global operations with a particular focus on China, and the delegation viewed exhibits and received a tour of two Bombardier aircraft, a Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner and a Global Express XRS business jet, both of which are manufactured at Bombardier’s Toronto facility.
“Canadian companies are world leaders in aerospace, innovation and technology," said Minister Van Loan. "We are proud of the success of the Canadian aviation industry. The Q400 NextGen aircraft - manufactured in Toronto - is an example of that commercial and technological success."
“It is always an honour to extend Bombardier’s hospitality to our strategic business partners,” said Mr. Beaudoin. “The visit by His Excellency Hu Jintao provided us with a wonderful opportunity to highlight key aspects of our relationship with China and showcase one of our leading aerospace facilities.”
Bombardier has a widespread presence and more than 4,000 employees in China. Bombardier offices are located in Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Changchun, Changzhou and Hong Kong.
Bombardier Aerospace and China
In the 1980s, Bombardier selected Xi’an Aircraft Corporation to provide components for Bombardier’s CL-215 and Bombardier 415 amphibious aircraft, and Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) - a subsidiary of the state-owned aviation industrial entity, China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) - has been manufacturing doors for Bombardier’s Q-Series aircraft since the 1990s. In July 2006, Bombardier Aerospace signed a major cooperation agreement with SAC to supply main parts for the fuselage of the Q400 aircraft.
In April 2007, AVIC and Bombardier signed a strategic cooperation agreement to further promote the development of the commercial aircraft business of both companies and contribute to the development of the global aviation industry. As a risk-sharing supplier on Bombardier’s game-changing CSeries aircraft, which was launched in 2008, SAC will supply the fuselage, tail cone and doors for the jetliner, and has full technical responsibility for their work packages.
In March 2010, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed with CDB Leasing Co. (“CLC”) on financing cooperation, which clears the way for CLC to offer pre-delivery payment financing, delivery financing and leasing solutions to customers of Bombardier CSeries, Q400 and CRJ aircraft.
There are currently 29 Bombardier Q-Series and CRJ regional aircraft operating in Greater China. Airline customers include Shandong Airlines, China Eastern Yunnan Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, China Express and UNI Air. Bombardier is also the leading supplier of business aircraft to China, with more than 30 Bombardier business jets currently in service. From light jets to ultra long-range aircraft, Bombardier’s industry-leading Learjet, Challenger and Global business jet families have helped the company become the recognized leader in China’s business aircraft market.
Bombardier Transportation and China
As the world’s largest rail equipment manufacturer, Bombardier Transportation’s cooperation with China dates back to 1954. Bombardier Transportation has been actively involved in China’s development for urban mass transit and advanced railway networks and currently has three joint ventures and six Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprises (WFOE) in China.
Bombardier has the broadest high speed rail project experience in the industry, participating in the delivery of more than 850 trains and vehicles for high speed and very high speed applications. In China, Bombardier Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation, a Sino-Canadian joint venture established in 1998 through Bombardier Inc. and CSR Sifang Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co, is currently building the world’s fastest sleeper trains for the Chinese Ministry of Railways (MOR): twenty 16-car trainsets capable of speeds up to 250 kph. It is also building another 20 high speed trains with conventional seating capable of similar speeds, delivering the first of these trains just 18 months after Notice to Proceed from the MOR. Bombardier has recently been selected by the MOR to supply 80 ZEFIRO 380 very high speed trains (1,120 cars) for the country’s rapidly growing high speed rail network.
Bombardier has an impressive track record of technology achievements in the Chinese market. In 2008, it delivered Mainland China’s first fully automated people mover (APM) to Beijing International Airport and is currently supplying Guangzhou with the world’s first APM for an urban mass transit system. In 2007, Bombardier signed its first contract to bring an advanced high speed signaling system featuring ERTMS signaling technology to China for the Wuguang high speed dedicated passenger line. In the same year, Bombardier signed a contract with China’s Dalian Locomotives and Rolling Stock Co., Ltd. to supply equipment for 500 high-power capacity freight electric locomotives to the MOR. It also became the first rail equipment supplier to deliver 1,000 metro cars into the Chinese market, mainly through Changchun Bombardier Railway Vehicles Co. Ltd., its joint venture focused on the production of metro cars. In 2006, it delivered the first specially designed coaches for operation on the highest-altitude railway in the world.
Source: BOMBARDIER
