KAPO, Tupolev supposed to double consolidated revenue in 2013
KAZAN. March 4 (Interfax) - The Kazan Aviation Production Association n.a. S.P. Gorbunov (KAPO) and Tupolev are supposed to have consolidated revenue of 17.5 billion rubles in 2013 and more than 20 billion rubles in 2015, the president of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), Mikhail Pogosian said Saturday at a KAPO and Tupolev staff meeting in Kazan.
"In 2012, Tupolev and KAPO on the whole met the targets that were planned. Although there is a whole range of questions concerning the repair and modernization of long-distance aircraft and concerning the creation of specialized aviation complexes on which not all issues were solved. The consolidated revenue of KAPO and Tupolev amounted to 7.5 billion rubles in 2012, which does not correspond to the goals and challenges we face. In order to ensure the stable development of the long-range and specialized aircraft sectors we must significantly increase production volumes," Pogosian said.
UAC is therefore targeting consolidated revenue at the two companies to increase by 130% this year and 170% in 2015 compared to the 2012 figure. KAPO alone is supposed to nearly double revenue to at least 8 billion rubles this year from 4.4 billion rubles in 2012.
It was reported earlier that UAC had decided to integrate the OJSC Tupolev design bureau and KAPO, and Tupolev head Alexander Bobryshev was appointed chief executive of both companies.
Pogosian said at the meeting that this process is part of UAC's strategic plans. There was a similar consolidation at aircraft maker Sukhoi last year. Tupolev and KAPO are expected to become a single legal entity in 2013.
Pogosian said it is not possible to increase production without organizational and structural changes in operations. Ultimately, this will also make it possible to raise wages to employees and update equipment, he said.
He said KAPO is being considered for cooperation in production of civilian aircraft and as a participant in programs to develop a family of military transport planes.
After the meeting, Pogosian told reporters that UAC is supposed to nearly double production to 350 billion rubles by 2015 from 180 billion rubles in 2012.
"We need to virtually double production in two years. In order to move at this pace, we need to reduce all interfaces, interconnections, bring people together to achieve a common goal. At UAC the goal for this year is to increase production by more than 20%. KAPO and Tupolev must move far faster," Pogosian said.
He said KAPO and Tupolev have already become part of the Il-476 program. They are making fins for this aircraft, which is assembled at Aviastar in Ulyanovsk, and there are plans to ramp up work in this area.
"We are also considering the more active participation of KAPO in a number of other programs in the area of military transport aviation to further the decisions that were made by the government. I think KAPO and Tupolev will actively participate in civil aircraft programs to develop specialized aircraft systems based on the Tu-214 planes and in meeting other challenges that UAC faces in the programs for the MS-21 and prospective aircraft systems. KAPO will be a participant in the UAC both as a plant that will conduct final assembly of certain types of airplanes and a plant that will participate in cooperation on other programs," Pogosian said.
Asked whether production of the An-70 would be set up at KAPO, he said that a decision will be made by the Defense Ministry after tests are completed. "Time is needed for final decisions to be made. Not everything depends on us," Pogosian said.
He also said that there are plans this year to launch production of composite material components at KAPO and begin building a technology park for small enterprises.
KAPO performs maintenance on the Tu-214 aircraft and its modifications, and major repairs and updates of the Tu-160 strategic bomber.
