10/13/2008 08h29
With diversification, Embraer expands deliveries by 34%
Valor Econômico - 10/13/2008
Embraer's strategy of taking advantage of the increase of passenger traffic in emerging regions, which, consequently, reduces North America's share in its client portfolio, continues producing positive results in the company's balance of deliveries and orders. The announcement of a 34% growth in airplane deliveries in the accumulated of the three quarters in comparison with equal period of 2007, on Friday, gave the company an indication that its objectives for the year may be achieved, despite the turbulences in the world situation, which started reaching air transportation companies already in the beginning of the petroleum high. Embraer's board established, as an objective, the delivery of 195 to 200 thousand units for 2008. Up until now, 145 air jets have been delivered. In the same accumulated period in 2007, the volume was 108 planes. In 2007, the company delivered 169 jet planes. Despite the positive results, the accumulated growth rhythm in the three quarters decreased compared to the two first ones. With a total of 97 airplanes, the company closed the first semester with an increase of 59% compared to the same period in 2007. If the company manages to repeat the volume of deliveries of the last three months of 2007 - 61 jets - in the last quarter, the goal may even be surpassed. Embraer depends less and less of United States' clients and starts advancing in Asia, in the Middle East, and also in Latin America. According to the company's vice-president of commercial, aviation Mauro Kem, between 2002 and 2007, air transportation in Latin America grew 43%, from 84 million passengers six years ago to 120 million last year. For Kem, besides the natural potential growth of the region, Latin America has a high amount of old planes, with more than 30 years of age, which stimulates the replacement in times of need for savings, Additionally, he believes that more air transportation companies will bet on the use of airplanes with 120 seat, the market in which the company works. Embraer is in the stage of expansion in this segment. Besides the 37 air jets for commercial aviation, in the third quarter nine executive jets and two airplanes for the defense and government market were also delivered.
