Executive Briefings:
Airbus Helicopters &
Porzellanmanufakture Augarten
Prepared for: INTB 6030-533
Date: February 21, 2017
By: Joseph Ware
Jacob Stafford
Yadin Herzel
Bethany Adams
AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
The Airbus Helicopter Manufacturing Plant
in Donauwörth, Germany
The Airbus Helicopter Manufactory
The Mission Statement of Airbus Helicopters
Airbus' mission is to provide the most efficient civil and military helicopter solutions to its customers who serve, protect, save lives, and safely carry passengers in highly demanding environments.
History
Airbus Helicopters is a division of Airbus Group SE. The company’s main headquarters are in Marignane, France, but it has additional manufacturing plants around the world, including Germany, Brazil, and Australia.
In 1992, Aerospatiale (France) and MBB (Germany) merged to form the Eurocopter Group. From 1992-2014 the company remained as the Eurocopter Group, but in 2015, the company was renamed Airbus Helicopters. From the beginning, Airbus Helicopters was innovative and formed many joint ventures with military and civilian organizations, including the US military, Korean Helicopter Program, and Australian Aerospace.
Along with larger joint ventures within the company, it began to make many transformations in innovation from creating the fastest helicopter to improving the planet. In 2008, the company launched a Clean Sky Program, enforcing the need to make air travel more sustainable. In 2010, Airbus Helicopters created the fastest helicopter, reaching speeds up to 293 mph. Airbus helicopters has been one of the most innovative and successful helicopter companies in the world.
Products and Supply
Airbus provides helicopters for civil and military use. The civil uses include the following: emergency medical services, oil and gas, public services, commercial air travel, private and business aviation, and aerial work. The military uses include the following: naval, armed scout, attack, maritime, utility, and special operations. Airbus Helicopters has an in-service fleet of 12,000 plus helicopters that are operated by 3,000 plus customers in 154 countries. The civil fleet marks about 45% of the market share in the civil aviation.
Competitors
Enstrom Helicopter- located in the US and supply to North and South America, Australia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Asia.
Bell Helicopters- located in the US and was the first to obtain commercial certification for a helicopter. Over 80-years, Bell Helicopters have delivered more than 35,000 aircraft to customers around the world.
Boeing- US based company and provides mostly military helicopters, including the apache.
Airbus Helicopters in Donauwörth, Germany
Donauwörth is Airbus Helicopters’ main site in Germany and is the second largest plant in the world. There are many types of helicopters built and sold at this plant for military personnel and civilians. This location has over 800 engineers, which is a “center of competence for tomorrow's helicopter technology in Germany”. The Donauwörth core business, however, is not just helicopters, but also aircraft doors. About 80 percent of Airbus’ plane doors are produced in this location. This location is also prime for transportation out of the country to multiple surrounding countries and ports.
Competitive Context of Airbus Helicopters
Airbus Helicopters’ is present in 29 customer centers. The company participates in a worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. The company employs more than 22,000 people worldwide. Airbus Helicopters has become the world's-leading rotorcraft manufacturer with a turnover of 6.8 billion euros in 2015. Airbus is the market leader for the civil and parapublic segment in that it controls 45% of the market share. For the military market, Airbus has 9% of the market share. By comparison, the market leader (Sikorsky) has 22% of market share. In 2015, Airbus delivered 395 helicopter units. The numbers have declined gradually from 2011 where a total of 503 helicopter units were delivered.
Airbus operates with a global economic approach to face massive economic, social and environmental changes. At the end of 2015, the United Nations released a set of Sustainable Development Goals defining global priorities. These goals address the issues of development changes from climate control and natural disasters, to economic inequality and ethical business practices. Airbus is meeting these demands by focusing more specific goals of, No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-Being, Quality Education, and Gender Equality among their workforce.
As Airbus aligns itself to be one of the leading global citizens, the company has adopted demanding policies and rules governing all of its international trade activities, while at the same time continually improving and reinforcing standards of ethics and compliance. Some of the examples of such policies are their standards of Eco-efficiency. They strive to remain conscious of the environmental impacts of their products and processes. For a healthy and motivated workforce Airbus is motivated in such topics as work-life balance, career development, integration of disabled employees, and furthering gender balance. Airbus also reaches out to the youth in the community by preparing the next generation for future employment opportunities. Airbus fosters three programs which fosters learning among disadvantaged youth and those facing educational challenges.
Besides offering humanitarian aid, the company supports the economic growth of small and medium sized enterprises. It offers partnerships to companies with innovative ideas. Although the company is aimed at smaller and medium sized businesses, they are open to all legal entities with a suitable industrial or scientific framework.
Questions to Consider for the Site Visit
Numerous companies have recently successfully test flown autonomous drones capable of carrying people - essentially pilotless helicopters. Is Airbus Helicopters currently doing any public research into this field? Are pilotless helicopters the future of the industry?
Both recent and upcoming elections in European Union member countries suggest that the future of the EU in its current form is uncertain. Is Airbus Helicopters in any way concerned that a potential breakup of the EU will impact the company’s ability to continue to operate seamlessly within multiple European countries?
Airbus Helicopters’ website mentions that the company covers approximately 150 countries globally - essentially three quarters of the recognized countries in the world. Are the remaining 50 countries simply unexplored opportunities, nonviable options, or something else?
Given the obvious financial and logistical barriers to entry into the helicopter manufacturing industry, Airbus Helicopters does not have many direct competitors. However, it does face competition from a few major companies. What stands out as Airbus Helicopters’ unique competitive advantages?
PORZELLANMANUFAKTURE AUGARTEN
The Augarten Porcelain Manufactory
in Vienna, Austria
The Augarten Porcelain Manufactory
History: The Augarten factory was the second European porcelain factory to be founded--299 years ago in 1718, although it closed between 1864 and 1923. Now it is located in Augarten Castle.
Primary Products: vases, lamps, and figurines. The standard tableware styles are grouped as Classic, Art Deco, or Trend, which can be combined with various patterns..Augarten offers customization as befits a luxury product. The flagship store is located in Vienna (Wien), and additional stores are located in Linz and Salzburg. Artistically, the firm strives to honor tradition as well as embrace modernity.
Promotion: Museum by the factory, a café, guided tours, workshops, and a dedicated magazine.
Competitive Context of Porzellanmanufakture Augarten
Austrian Economy: The European Commission (EC) expects the Austrian economy to expand slightly. The country is under pressure to improve employment of women, increase the effective retirement age, and incorporate an influx of refugees into the labor market (EC). Meanwhile, subsidization in Austria continues to both help and hinder economic development. EurActiv Germany reported that Austria allocated almost 28% of its 2014 GDP to subsidies and incentives, second only to France (Vytiska).
Required Industry Resources: Energy costs have been increasing, and manufacturers in the EU are faced with becoming more energy efficient. The EC reports that Austrian energy cost per value added as of 2012 were at less than 5%--less than half of Hungary’s estimate percentage cost.
Raw Materials: Feldspar, quartz, and white kaolinite. Scandinavia, Germany, and Czechia have been historic sources for these minerals for the Augarten factory (Neyt). The Augarten website explains that the raw porcelain mix is proprietary, and must be allowed to mature for a various number of months depending upon the consistency required. Forming a given piece will be followed by initial firing, glazing, main firing, and then painting. Painting may be alternated with up to six additional firings.
Skilled artisans are required to produce fine quality porcelain. The Augarten website describes a simple object uses multiple molds that must be carefully joined together. Various manufacturing steps such as the amount of time to allow raw porcelain to mature require significant expertise and experience.
Sample of Competitors: Since Porcelain has been held in high regard in Europe for a few hundred years, many of the Augarten competitors in Europe have similarly historic traditions. These include Royal Limoges and state-owned Sèvres (France), as well as Meissen and Fürstenberg (both in Germany).
Questions to Consider for the Site Visit
How have increasing energy costs impacted effectiveness, if at all? What kinds of strategies or technological innovation have been considered to help mitigate energy requirements?
What are some of the challenges of balancing a traditional reputation with modernity, for example in terms of marketing and branding?
Have new countries that have been brought into the EU helped to make key raw materials more available or cheaper?
Work Cited
Augarten Wien:
“Porcelain Production in the Augarten Porcelain Manufactory.” n.d. https://www.augarten.com/en/augarten-world/manufactory/
“300 Years of Tradition.” n.d. https://www.augarten.com/en/tradition/
“Das Augarten Magazin” can be accessed here https://issuu.com/augarten/docs/augarten_magazin_issuu_27102016
European Commission:
“Council Recommendation” May 18, 2016. http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/pdf/csr2016/csr2016_austria_en.pdf
“Europe 2020 in Austria.” May 18, 2016. http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/europe-2020-in-your-country/osterreich/country-specific-recommendations/index_en.htm
“EU structural change 2015.” 2015. http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/eu-structural-change-2015-pbETAA15001/
Neyt, Johanna. “The Art of Porcelain.” The Vienna Review. July 1, 2011. http://www.viennareview.net/on-the-town/the-art-of-porcelain
Vytiska, Herbert. “Austria’s Unwieldy Subsidies System.”” EurActiv. January 7, 2016. https://www.euractiv.com/section/euro-finance/news/austria-s-unwieldy-subsidies-system-continues-to-cost-the-country/
"50 Years BO105 A Living Legend and a Pioneer." Helicopters: Civil Helicopter and Military Helicopter - Airbus Helicopters. 20 Feb. 2017.
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