Airbus to produce components in Tunisia

Airbus presented on the 9 September 2008 to its European Work Council (ECA) the Power8+ programme. It is designed to deliver cost savings of €650m in 2012, adding to the Power8 target of €2.1bn for 2010. Power8+ will be partly achieved by extending the Power8 initiatives up to 2012 (€350m) and partly by further internationalisation of engineering and manufacturing work (€300m). Power8+ does not envisage social plans for further headcount reductions. Power8+ is Airbus’ contribution to EADS’ €1bn cost cutting initiative.

Article reports that Airbus will turn to Tunisian and Mexican plants to help it cut costs in the second stage of an efficiency drive aimed at fighting the impact of a weak dollar and high European labour costs.

ESO: Background information: EADS to extend cost-cutting plan http://www.europeansources.info/record/eads-to-extend-cost-cutting-plan/

BBC News, 9.9.08: Airbus unveils new saving plans http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7606387.stm

http://www.eads.com/eads/int/en/news/all-press-releases.html http://www.eads.com/eads/int/en/news/all-press-releases.html

France24, 9.9.08: Airbus unveils new cost-cutting plan http://www.france24.com/en/20080909-airbus-cost-cutting-plan-eads-aerospace-europe&navi=ECONOMIE

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