BOMBARDIER ANNOUNCE $1.5 BN CONTRACT

CANADIAN aerospace company Bombardier, who own Shorts in Belfast, have announced the purchase 50 of their new CRJ900 regional jets in a deal thought to be worth 1.5 billion US Canadian dollars.

The contract, which has yet to be finalized, was announced at the Paris Air Show on Monday June 18 2001, where the CRJ900 made its debut. The Memorandum of Understanding reached between Bombardier and Deutsche Structured Finance (DSF) in association with Deutsche Operating Leasing (DOL) outlines the sale of 50 aircraft – 30 of the 70-seat Bombardier CRJ700 and 20 of the 86-seat CRJ900 – plus a 30 further aircraft.

The deal will mean a significant rise in work for Shorts, which makes the fuselage for the aircraft.

A spokesman for Bombardier Aerospace in Shorts said: “This is excellent news, not only for Shorts, but for Bombardier as a whole. We have taken on 1500 new staff since May 2000 and this new contract will secure those jobs in Shorts and provide work for us for several years.”

Welcoming the deal Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, said: "As well as helping to secure employment at Bombardier plants in Belfast, the $1.5 billion contract, when finalised, will contribute to the continued growth of the local aerospace industry which currently employs around 9,000 people and is one of the most technologically focused and export driven sectors.”

Chief managing director of DSF Paul Steinhardt said: “The demand for aircraft, particularly in the regional jet market, is expected to continue on its growth path for the next two decades and we believe the Bombardier CRJ family of regional jets will continue to be the premier brand in the industry.”

Steven Ridolfi, president of Bombardier Regional Aircraft said: “We are extremely pleased that DSF through DOL has exclusively selected the flexibility of the bombardier CRJ family for the regional jet portfolio.” (AMcE)