Showcasing Safran helicopter technologies to Group customers in China

From November 8 through 10, 2017 the first Safran Helicopter Tech Days were held in China, at the initiative of the Safran Helicopter Business Club. This event was an opportunity for Chinese customers to meet our teams and discover the full range of our helicopter technologies. We take a look back on the event with Florian Pottier, Key Account Director at Safran Helicopter Engines in China.

 

 

A market "full of promise"

"The Chinese aerospace market is undersized in relation to the country's current needs, the civil sector is still in its early phase. However, it is developing quickly today and will accelerate over the next fifteen years", explains Florian Pottier, Key Account Director at Safran Helicopter Engines in China.

 

Familiarizing Chinese customers with Safran technologies

Over these three days, the Safran teams did an on-site visit of their Chinese customer AVICopter (the helicopter branch of the AVIC group, Aviation Industry Corporation of China). The goal was to present the full know-how of the Group's companies.

While Safran Helicopters Engines is well known in China, especially since it equips most of AVICopter’s civil helicopters with its engines, other Safran Group companies do not enjoy the same reputation there yet. "The objective of this event was to familiarize our partner and customer AVIC with the range of products and technologies produced by our different companies and thus to initiate opportunities for cooperation", comments Florian Pottier.

Marketing representatives but also engineers from Safran Helicopter Engines, Safran Transmission Systems, Safran Electronics & Defense and Safran Electrical & Power participated in Safran Helicopter Tech Days and visited the two AVICopter plants in Harbin (HAIG, Harbin Aircraft Industry) and Changhe (CAIG, Changhe Aircraft Industry Group), as well AVIC International, based in Beijing and in charge of imports for the AVIC group.

 

Very positive feedback

"The explanations combining commercial aspects and technical information were highly appreciated", adds Florian.

The event made it possible to create contacts between the Chinese customers and the various Safran companies represented, and "several plan to set up further meetings".

On the strength of this success, Safran Helicopter Engines is considering renewing the experience: "It would be interesting to organize Safran Helicopter Tech Days every two years to present new products and maintain our relationships", concludes Florian.

 

Learn more:

- Safran in China

- AVIC