EADS has the means to overcome the problem

July, 2007. Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel announce the appointment of Louis Gallois as head of EADS in Toulouse. Thomas Enders is entitled to Airbus. This is the end of the both decried "bicéphalité". Three months later, the Board of Directors adopts "normal" rules of governance. The arrival of independent directors is intended to prevent the nationalist blockades. On paper, everything is in place to put an end to the Franco-German conflict tearing the European industrial flagship. Is a year later, where Paris and Berlin have arranged their knives, despite a persistent mistrust. And even if the ongoing investigation on the Insider can again destabilize, leaders can focus on the essential: complete the restructuring of Airbus, and the future.

Welsh and Enders,

the unlikely coupling

Nothing predestined Louis Gallois, sixty-four years, gascon, enarque and great clerk of the State, and Thomas Enders, forty-nine years, son of berger, former paratrooper in the Bundeswehr, a graduate of UCLA, to go one day in the same cockpit. And yet! The General view, the coupling works. If the relationships are not warm, the mutual irritation from the beginning has given way to a certain opinion. "Our relations are as good as they can be," says Thomas Enders. "At the level of the Executive Committee, the atmosphere changed completely, ensures his side Louis Gallois.". The opposition between French and German camp no longer appears.

If Tom Enders had to renounce the co-chairmanship of EADS, its new position as head of Airbus gave his entrepreneurial stripes. And if all goes as planned he will succeed Louis Gallois in 2012. Man of action more than diplomat, does not hide his pleasure of to be remote Parisian plots of EADS. He and Louis Gallois nevertheless continue to Exchange on all matters. "We are not talking only of Airbus, but also of EADS, confirmed the French. And I have a level of information similar to the Airbus.

Even if, from the "Republic of Toulouse", the boss on a daily basis is the number two French, Fabrice Brégier, Thomas Enders was able to make accept. "When I arrived, it was believed that Fabrice and I were going to us what," recognizes. The German leader was careful to sit his image in the world, with a discourse on the internationalization of the manufacturer. It is probably the biggest policy difference with a Louis Gallois more "guarantor" of European identity and the Franco-German balance of EADS.

The group become a multinational company like the others, is introducing the where are the customers and skills to the best costs Or will it always favour the interests of the four founding countries of Airbus, France, Germany, United Kingdom and Spain, at the expense of competitiveness In its 2020 plan, Louis Gallois advocates a distribution of the activity at 50-50 between Europe and the rest of the world, developing the service, the defence and security. However, here again, the debate is not resolved between advocates of a conglomerate at the Boeing strategy and advocates of a focus on civil aviation.

The other unresolved site, is the challenge to the shareholders Pact, which gives Lagardère and Daimler a veto, despite modest holdings and declining. Lack of domestic buyers and taking into account the weakness of the action, Lagardère and Daimler will remain at least until 2010. But their withdrawal is inevitable. Paris and Berlin must decide on two points: the opening of the capital to foreign investors and the means to preserve their interests.

The sick A400M, A380 convalescent

The military transport aircraft A400M can sink EADS "Of course not, is object Louis Gallois". "EADS has the means to overcome the problem." The problem His nightmare instead, as it assigned it internally: 1.4 billion euros in provisions (this may be as a start), a manufacturer to the dock and a first flight pushed back sine die! At this point some leaders argue for decision pure and simple program. After all, if throw sponge is cheaper that continue... "It continues", concluded Louis Gallois. This has not stopped him to glide the threat. Negotiating tactic for the abandonment of delay penalties The French army to replace its end Transall of breath. Paris is ready for concessions. With Berlin, it is more tense. "A contract is a contract," insists the Minister of defence, Franz Josef Jung. As the English, who had long balanced for the Boeing C-17 pragmatism prevails, as always. In the meantime, the production is suspended. And the first flight will not intervene before April, at best.

"My priorities for this year." "The A380, the A380 and the A380," insists his side Tom Enders. The CEO of Airbus exaggerates only. One year after delivery of the first copy to Singapore Airlines, the giant aircraft remains the main risk to the aircraft manufacturer and his boss. "A magnum of champagne" did not gambled that 12 A380 would be delivered in 2008 and 21 in 2009 A statement greeted with disbelief. "Enders announced this plan of road in July, before learning the past difficulties, said internal." At best, it will be 10 units this year and 15 to 16 in 2009.

Then, who believe Confidential calendar provides well four deliveries by the end of the year a November 15 for Emirates and three others on December 12, 20 and 27, Emirates and Qantas , which would reach 12 devices. It provides also 21 deliveries in 2009 6 for Emirates, 4 for Singapore Airlines, Qantas 4, 3 for Air France (including the first in August), 3 for Lufthansa and 1 for China Southern at a rate of 4 aircraft in the first quarter, 5 in the second, 6 in the third and 6 or 7 in the fourth. The pace of 10 aircraft per month cruise would be reached end of 2010, with a total of 34 deliveries on the year. But, as recognized by Tom Enders, "we can not exclude further delays." And it is not enough to deliver as scheduled, as illustrated in the misadventures of the first A380 of Emirates, victim of a mysterious failure less than a month after commissioning. Too busy worker had forgotten a tool in an electric cupboard...

Airbus restructuring mid-term

The Director of human resources of Airbus was, it seems, a little embarrassed by presenting, two months, the last balance sheet of the "Rock" of the downsizing plan. On the deletions of posts announced end of 2006, only 4.419 713 employees had agreed to go to 31 July: 300 in French factories, 64 at the Toulouse headquarters, 213 United Kingdom, 135 in Spain and one in Germany! The result of the firing of dam of the powerful IG Metall Union, which blocked the implementation of the German plan until last summer. This did not prevent Airbus to communicate on the otherwise more flattering figure of 2,063 deletions of posts in late July, by adding natural departures not replaced, and the departures scheduled but not yet effective. It is therefore far from the 10,000 deletions of positions of the Power 8 plan, half at Airbus.

Same thing for the project "Zephyr" of outsourcing of sites. The seven plants for sale, two only have found takers: Laupheim, Germany, and Filton in the UK. And yet, on the latter site, Airbus maintains under its wing the 6500 employees, 5,000 buyer GKN did not want the burden of the pension plan. The other five, including French plants Meaulte and St. Nazaire Ville, they leave the fold of Airbus under January 1 to join one of two new subsidiaries of EADS, the French Aerolia and Premium Aerotech German, while speculative investors.

And yet, the savings expected the appointment. 2.1 Billion euros in savings sought by 2010, Airbus had already found 991 million at end of August, which should be added 300 to 400 million by the end of the year. After two years in the red, the manufacturer should complete the year 2008 with a 1.1 billion operating profit. What wonder about the utility of Roc and Zephyr, presented as the two pillars of a plan Power 8 is known already, moreover, that should be followed from 2011 to 2013 plan "Power 8 " to EUR 350 million.