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EADS opens office at NRC site to strengthen commitment to Canadian R&TD

EADS has opened an office at the National Research Council Canada's (NRC) site to further strengthen its commitment to aerospace research and technology development (R&TD) in Canada.

Opening an office within the NRC's Institute for Aerospace Research (NRC-IAR) facility in Montreal is another important step in establishing a long-term closer working relationship between NRC and EADS. It will allow EADS and NRC to share expertise and resources in the research and technology field and ultimately help to underpin more hi-tech jobs in Quebec and Canada.

The agreement follows June's signing by EADS Chief Technical Officer Jean Botti of a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between EADS and NRC to cooperate on R&TD for aerospace applications within Canada. Under this MoU, EADS-owned Airbus has already signed a 10-year framework cooperation agreement with NRC covering subjects ranging from manufacturing technologies to flight tests for environmental investigations.

"This new working arrangement with EADS will assist NRC in meeting the research and technology development needs of an important sector in the Canadian economy," said NRC President Dr. Pierre Coulombe. "EADS programs presently generate directly and indirectly some C$800 million of activity each year in Canada and support about 4,000 jobs in Canada's aerospace industry."

NRC and EADS currently have two joint projects underway. The first is a joint project between NRC-IAR Aerospace Manufacturing Technology Centre and EADS Innovation Works that involves friction stir welding. The second is collaboration between NRC and Airbus that involves the drilling of carbon fibre reinforced composites. In addition, NRC and EADS are considering joint projects that could include the NRC-IAR Structures and Materials Performance Laboratory, and other NRC institutes such as the NRC Industrial Materials Institute, the NRC Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences and the NRC Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation.

EADS Canada President Herve Garnier said: "We are very pleased to continue our relationship with Canada's NRC and the opening of this office is part of our long-term strategy of increasing research and development activities in Canada." Mr Garnier added: "Canada is an increasingly important base and market for the EADS group. Our main divisions and Business Units already have a significant presence in the country, including EADS in Ottawa, Eurocopter and EADS Secure Networks in Ontario, PlantCML in Gatineau, Quebec and other operations in other parts of the country."

EADS has over 100 suppliers in Canada with the country's aerospace companies forming a significant part of its global operations. A wide range of suppliers contribute significant components to our new A380 – the world's largest aircraft. Pratt & Whitney Canada is a major supplier of engines to EADS business units. Bombardier produces sub assemblies for the A330 and A340 Airbus. Major partners in Canada include: Honeywell Canada; Goodrich; CAE; Thales Systems Canada; CMC Electronics; MDA; Com Dev; and Messier-Dowty.