The Hungarian State and Airbus Helicopters have established a joint venture under the name Airbus Helicopters Hungary Kft. which was announced as part of a signing ceremony held on 17 July 2020 in Budapest.

The establishment of the Gyula-based company creating some 200 new jobs – which will manufacture helicopter parts exclusively for Airbus from 2022 – is one of the most important milestones of the Defence and Armed Forces Development Programme.

In his address at the signing ceremony, Minister of State for the Management of State Assets Roland Juhász said the Hungarian State has a 30 per cent ownership stake in the joint venture now established.

The project will start this year, and according to plans, production will reach full capacity from 2022. Based on this, it is possible to state that Airbus Helicopters have pledged a long-term commitment to production in Hungary.

“Social responsibility and the operation of assets in a way which serves social objectives are duties of the state as owner. The implementation of the government’s economic policy is one such objective. With the project in Gyula, one of our most important goals is being achieved: we are creating a development opportunity for local businesses as the raw materials necessary for the production of parts will be supplied by domestic metal processing and other industrial businesses that are able to meet quality requirements at a high level,” the Minister of State said.

Mr Juhász added that “The newly-established company will also serve strategic and national interests, while at the same time it is part of a complex set of economic, social, security and defence policy objectives. With this project, the government seeks to enhance the economy’s diversity, to create new jobs, to establish competitive industries that produce a high added value, and to improve the country’s innovation capabilities.”

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)