Bombardier opens engineering service centre in India

Montreal — Bombardier Aerospace has accelerated its push into the fast-growing Indian market by officially opening an engineering service centre in Bangalore. The centre, which currently employs about 20 people, is expected to have about 50 aerospace engineers by the end of 2013, the company said in officially opening the facility.

They will support Bombardier’s current aircraft programs and those in development by helping the Montreal-based manufacturer and the more than 400 engineers employed by Bombardier’s partners in India, Mahindra-Satyam, Tata Consultancy Services and Capgemini.

The engineers will work on complex structure design, advanced stress analysis and project management services. Jean Seguin, vice-president quality, engineering and manufacturing, said it’s essential for Bombardier’s global success that it grows its presence in international markets.

“This continued investment in the region will allow us to take advantage of local expertise in a market that is becoming increasingly important to Bombardier,” he said in a news release Tuesday.

Bombardier spokeswoman Haley Dunne said the new office won’t result in any job reductions at its other locations in Quebec, Ontario, Kansas, Northern Ireland or Mexico.

The world’s third-largest aircraft manufacturer is continuing to expand its presence in low-cost emerging markets. It plans to open a manufacturing facility in Morocco in 2013. By 2016, annual revenues to emerging countries could double to US$4 billion a year. Over the past five years, revenues from so-called BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) have grown by 47 per cent annually.

Bombardier expects that India will order 1,330 business jet aircraft over the next 20 years. The Asia-Pacific region, including China, is expected to take delivery of about 4,000 aircraft in the 20- to 149-seat commercial aircraft category.

Bombardier opened a regional support office in Mumbai in 2010, the first to support both business and commercial aircraft in one location.

Bombardier’s transportation division is also targeting sales opportunities in India, which is quickly developing its transportation infrastructure.

It beat out three rivals last fall to win a “breakthrough” US$214-million propulsion systems contract to power regional trains in India. Production of the Mitrac propulsion and control equipment will take place at a recently expanded Bombardier plant in Maneja, India, supported by Bombardier’s sites in Germany.

–With files from Sylvain Larocque.

© 2012 The Canadian Press