The new Eurocopter Global Logistics facility was inaugurated today in southern France, marking a major milestone in the evolution of Eurocopter’s global integrated support network for customers and also providing improved internal logistics for the company’s production and industrial activities.

Eurocopter Global Logistics is the cornerstone of Eurocopter’s worldwide logistics distribution system, which includes platforms in Donauwörth, Germany, Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport, France, and Hong Kong as well as Customer Service Centers in both Hong Kong and Dallas, Texas.

Located at the Les Florides industrial park near Eurocopter’s production plant in Marignane, this 53,500-square meter facility houses more than 1.5 million parts, is staffed by some 750 employees and handles the delivery of more than 300,000 parts a year. It is a key element in the Eurocopter Group’s Vision 2020 program, which aims to ensure a highly reactive customer support and services network for operators of Eurocopter helicopters worldwide.

This fully-operational platform brings together Eurocopter’s round-the-clock Customer Service Center with all of its logistics activities, and allows the Group to provide just-in-time spare part delivery services across the globe. It includes a 44,500 square meter logistic platform, a fullyautomatic warehouse and 7,500 square meters of office space.

“This new center provides a modern and innovative logistics tool for Eurocopter, and is the latest step in our development of a support and services network that is to serve as a worldwide reference in the helicopter industry,” said Lutz Bertling, Eurocopter’s President & CEO. “It will optimize inventories based on parts and needs, while also incorporating the most modern logistics tools and processes available today. As a result, Eurocopter customers and operators will be even better served in keeping their helicopters flying around the world.”

A total of 68 million Euros have been invested in the facility by Eurocopter, its long-standing logistics partner, DAHER, as well as the site’s owners, the Barjane Group and Cardinal. An eco-friendly design was adopted during the Eurocopter Global Logistics center’s construction, which included equipping the platform with photovoltaic panels and using natural lighting and a combination of air and water for highly efficient temperature control in the offices. A paperless procedure for the location and retrieval of stocked parts is to eliminate the printout of some 110,000 copies per year.

About Eurocopter
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defense and related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 17,500 people. In 2010, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s number one helicopter manufacturer in the civil and parapublic market with a turnover of 4.8 billion Euros, orders for 346 new helicopters and a 49 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the total worldwide civil and parapublic fleet.

Eurocopter’s strong worldwide presence is ensured by its 30 subsidiaries and participations on five continents, along with a dense network of distributors, certified agents and maintenance centers. There are currently 11,200 Eurocopter helicopters in service and some 2,900 customers in 147 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in the world.

Left to right : Michel Macia – Vice-President Material & logistics service center – Eric Le dissès Marignane’s Mayor – Lutz Bertling – Eurocopter’s President and CEO – Patrick Daher – DAHER’s President – Eugène Caselli – Urban Community Marseille Provence President – Raphaëlle Simeoni – Sub-Prefect & Deputy General Secretary of the regional Prefecture.