Louis Welsh, president of EADS, on Tuesday presented the results of fiscal 2009 marked a net loss of 763 million euros, with heavy consequences including increased provisions under the Airbus A400M and the effect of exchange Euro-dollar negative (1 billion euros for the third consecutive year).
But observers have in mind the case of U.S. tanker. The defense giant Northrop Grumman American announced that he would compete to win a contract for 35 billion dollars to provide 179 refueling aircraft to the U.S. Army. This is the first installment of a giant order of 500 aircraft for 100 billion dollars. Northrop said that the criteria of the tender favored Boeing, also nominated. Consequently, EADS, his partner had no choice but to throw in the towel.
The news caused an outcry in Europe.«(…) During the current crisis, the smallest signs of protectionism are harmful, "accused Brüderle Rainer, German Minister of Economy," even in the field of defense, free competition should not be hampered unilaterally. The Foreign Office warned that "France, with the European Commission and its European partners concerned will proceed to the consideration of this new development and its possible implications.
A complaint before the World Trade Organization (WTO) seems to be excluded because it is not competent defense. And it can not intervene following a sovereign decision taken by a private company, namely Northrop. Louis Welsh did not want polemics or insult the future: "I am not a politician but an industrialist. I am part of a fact.The U.S. market remains a priority for us. "He was careful not to comment on the decision of its American ally. Northrop could have filed an appeal before a federal judge because he had a strong case. He preferred to drop and de facto release EADS. For the Democrats who control Congress have pushed the message. We must leave the field open for Boeing needs this contract to stay in the field of military aviation. Boeing, whose headquarters are located in Chicago, a stronghold of President Obama. Northrop would have been assured of being able to catch up on other contracts. He could not alienate its biggest customer, the Pentagon, who can not stand to see its decisions appealed to the GAO, the U.S. equivalent of the Court of Auditors. This was the case in early 2008 when Boeing was denied victory by Northrop and EADS.And succeeded.
Result, the U.S. Army for ten years waiting for its new tanker. Today is back to square one with, as in 2001, only one bid. It is possible that again the Republicans react as they reject the absence of competition.
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March 10th,2010
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This is a first official estimate. Le Figaro had argued Wednesday the number of one billion euros in damage, according to the French Federation of Insurance Companies (FFSA), the Xynthia storm that swept through France last Sunday is expected to cost at least $ 1.2 billion of EUR insurers. Because this encryption is based on insurance claims 500,000 victims and will probably be revised upwards. Firstly because other people should still report damage in the coming days. Xynthia is indeed the most violent storm in the 1999, stronger than that Klaus had 740,000 victims last year in the Southwest. Secondly, many houses are still flooded making it difficult to make a definitive estimate of the damage.
The assessment takes into account the damage caused by wind and partly by water.These latter are partly supported by governments that have recognized the state of natural disaster one hour payday loan .
To find the total cost of damage from the storm, it would also add all those suffered by all the infrastructure (roads, bridges, dams). Borne by state and local governments and not covered by members of the FFSA and the Grouping of mutual insurance companies, they have not been integrated to 1.2 billion euros. The final cost of Klaus – 1.68 billion euros – was nearly three times the initial estimate.According to the FFSA, it will take one to two months in order to establish the final amount of the cost of the storm for its members.
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The French manage to reach a critical size in the Light Armored? It is hoped that the group Panhard attempting a rapprochement with the public Nexter (formerly Giat). The building is well underway in Europe, led by the Anglo-Saxons.
To the north, Britain's BAE Systems has steadily increased, including the purchase of Swedish Hagglunds, and now shows 7 billion euros of turnover. To the south, the U.S. General Dynamics has swooped on the Spanish Santa Barbara. The French Nexter and Panhard, which respectively carry a turnover of 579 million euros and hundreds of millions, have emerged as Tom Thumb. A rapprochement with Renault Trucks Defense, a subsidiary of Volvo Trucks, has also been mentioned.
Hence the idea of boss Panhard, Christian Mons, initiating a rapprochement with Next.Especially since the group's main shareholder, with 75% of the capital, George Cohen, had once considered separate from that asset. Having no desire to become a sub-subsidiary of a foreign group, Panhard therefore seeks to grow, with a preference for a Franco-French solution. Interviews with representatives of the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) – who presides over the future of Nexter – have already been held and the proposal would have received a rather favorable.
Crossing several pitfalls
Panhard side, do not hesitate to think big. The company already imagine that after having bought Nexter it could begin negotiations with its German competitors Rheinmetall and KMW, also looking for external growth operations to reach a critical size.Such discussions would kick off an equivalent of one armored EADS.
Before that happened, it remains to Panhard to cross several hurdles. Only Nexter Armored Division and its flagship, the Leclerc tanks, interest Panhard. It performs alone 450 million euros of turnover. The group led by Christian Mons no secret to be much less inclined to acquire the activities of artillery and information systems and command.
Although it is still too early for a pattern emerges, buying only part of Nexter or the total surrender before a non-strategic assets, then he should know how to organize a form of privatization of the former Giat. Finally, if Thales does not seem to be a candidate for a merger with Nexter, Renault Trucks Defense had already expressed interest Nexter in 2008.The subsidiary of Swedish group had also extended a hand to Panhard, who was then preferred to decline the proposal.
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