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September 30, 2019 | International, Aerospace

A220 : les fournisseurs d’Airbus toujours sous pression pour réduire leurs coûts de 20 %

Par Maxime Bertrand

Airbus vise toujours une réduction de 20 % des coûts de la part de ses fournisseurs afin d'assurer la rentabilité de l'A220. C'est ce qu'ont déclaré les pdg d'Airbus et d'Airbus Canada, Guillaume Faury et Philippe Balducchi, lors d'une rencontre avec la presse montréalaise jeudi.

Nous avons progressé, mais le processus n'est pas terminé, a déclaré Philippe Balducchi, pdg d'Airbus Canada

L'A220 a vraiment besoin d'une accélération, d'un renforcement du programme de réduction des coûts, a renchéri Guillaume Faury, pdg d'Airbus.

Le géant européen a pris les commandes du programme né de la C Series de Bombardier – renommé A220 depuis – en juin 2018. Pas plus tard qu'en octobre 2018, le pdg d'Airbus affirmait qu'il lui faudrait « des années » avant que l'A220 devienne une réussite économique.

En entrevue avec la presse montréalaise, les deux dirigeants ont soutenu jeudi qu'il était normal que l'effort demandé soit plus important pour l'A220 que pour les autres appareils de la flotte d'Airbus, car le programme en est à ses débuts et qu'il faut repositionner l'appareil, accélérer la cadence de production et entrer dans une zone de rentabilité.

Selon la direction de l'avionneur, tous les appareils en début de production doivent relever ce genre de défi.

Airbus se donne trois ans pour terminer le processus entamé il y a une quinzaine de mois et parvenir à une réduction des coûts de 20 %.

La démarche ne s'arrêtera pas là, préviennent les dirigeants, car les baisses des coûts devront également s'inscrire dans le temps.

À la fin de mai dernier, le carnet de commandes d'Airbus comptait 536 appareils A220. Au salon aéronautique du Bourget, en juin, l'entreprise a annoncé de 70 appareils A220.

Dossier des avions de chasse

Dans le dossier des avions de chasse, la direction d'Airbus a dit s'être retirée avec beaucoup de regret de l'appel d'offres du gouvernement canadien.

Elle croit que sa présence au Canada gr'ce à l'A220 permettra d'accroître sa visibilité et de saisir les occasions futures qui se présenteront.

Différend commercial entre l'Europe et les États-Unis

Par ailleurs, la direction d'Airbus a réagi à la décision de l'Organisation mondiale du commerce (OMC) d'autoriser les États-Unis à imposer des droits de douane annuels de 7,5 milliards de dollars sur les produits européens dans le cadre du conflit sur les subventions dans le domaine de la construction aéronautique.

Il s'agit d'un différend de 15 ans entre Boeing et Airbus, donc entre les États-Unis et l'Europe, qui s'accusent mutuellement de consentir des aides illégales à leurs avionneurs.

Nous croyons que tout le monde sort perdant d'une guerre commerciale, a déclaré Guillaume Faury. Si des droits sont imposés par les deux parties, cela entraînera une hausse des coûts de déplacement et nous rendra moins concurrentiels. Nous croyons que les parties finiront par s'entendre et que la voix de la sagesse sera la plus forte. Nous continuons à militer en faveur d'une entente, nous croyons qu'il est possible d'y parvenir.

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1319890/a220-avion-reduction-couts-programme-airbus

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