Airbus To Deliver A320s From Mobile In 2016

Airbus in 2015 will open a final assembly line (FAL) in the U.S. dedicated to producing A320 family aircraft. The facility will be located in Mobile, Ala., where the European manufacturer already has an engineering base. “The time is right for Airbus to expand in America,” President and CEO Fabrice Bregier says. The move is part of EADS’ broader strategy to internationalize its business and become less dependent on the strong euro. Airbus also intends to increase its market share in the U.S. In the narrowbody segment, its market share is about 20% in the U.S., compared with more than 50% globally. Airbus says the U.S. is the single largest narrowbody market and believes about 4,600 aircraft in that category will be sold there in the next 20 years ...