Aircraft Industries aircraft manufacturer from Kunovice in Uherskohradišťsko wants to free itself from dependence on the Russian market, which is crucial for the company. The Russian-owned company is subject to sanctions related to Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine. As of today, the company is not allowed to export to Russia. However, production continues without change, according to Denisa Zapletalová, the company’s marketing manager.
The company employs almost 1,000 people, including Ukrainians, Russians and Belarusians. It manufactures civil aircraft L 410 and L410 NG, most of its production has long been directed to the Russian market. “Sanctions will fundamentally affect us, because the Russian civilian market was primary for us and we supplied most of our production to it. However, production continues unchanged and we negotiate with customers in other markets,” said Zapletalová. She added that the company does not dismiss.
According to her, the company’s management deals with the situation on a daily basis and strives to keep the impact on the company’s operations to a minimum. “We have to get rid of our dependence on the Russian market, but that is not possible day by day. In aviation, everything has great inertia, and that is why it is crucial for us now to secure new orders as soon as possible,” said Zapletalová.
According to the company’s representatives, who rely on the sanctions regulation, the export bans to Russia did not apply until 28 March to the performance of contracts concluded before 26 February this year, or the ancillary contracts necessary for the performance of such contracts. “We only exported to Russia what was ready and ready for shipment before the Russian invasion. It was the work of our employees over the past few months,” said the head of marketing.
From today, according to her, the company will not be able to deliver anything to Russia, nor to provide service and technical support to the operators there. “We fully respect the sanctions regulations,” Zapletalová added. In early March, the company’s management spoke out against the aggression in a statement sent out to the media.
Aircraft Industries is the largest Czech manufacturer of civil aircraft technology. It continues the more than eighty-year tradition of aircraft production in Kunovice. The main product of the aircraft plant are twin-engine turboprop aircraft of the L 410 series, of which more than 1,200 have been manufactured and delivered worldwide. The company’s registered capital is 112 million crowns.
The year before, Aircraft Industries earned almost 2.282 billion crowns, delivered customers 15 aircraft. The company’s profit exceeded 271 million crowns. The company has not yet officially published its financial results for 2021.
Source: CTK
