Eurocopter Cements Lead as World's No.1

Its modernized production line has propelled Eurocopter into a commanding lead as the world's No. 1 helicopter manufacturer, well ahead of Bell, the company claims in detailing an "exceptional 2000" in which it took no fewer than 531 orders and delivered 289 aircraft.
In comparison, Eurocopter booked 382 orders and delivered 241 helicopters the year before.

While military buys of 243 NH90s and 160 Tiger attack helicopters provide a healthy backlog for the next 10 years, Eurocopter reported it maintained its share of about half of the world's civil and parapublic markets as the upturn in civil helicopters that marked 1998 and 1999 was sustained in 2000. particularly in Europe. There, turbine helicopter deliveries from all manufacturers for civil and parapublic use rose to 145 from 124 in 1999, while deliveries in the U.S. totaled 170. Worldwide, the civil and parapublic markets took 500 helicopters compared to 477 in 1999.

Eurocopter also sold 45 preowned helicopters during 2000.

While orders for the NH90 weighted the year's record heavily toward the military (79% of the $5 billion in orders placed), civil and parapublic deliveries and services still generated more than half (55%) of the company's consolidated revenues of $2.1 billion, with exports accounting for 63%. That will likely change significantly as European forces begin to take delivery of Tigers and NH90s.