Embraer Expands Production to Portugal

In a ceremony held yesterday in Lisbon, Embraer announced plans for implementing two new industrial units dedicated to manufacturing complex airframe structures, one focused on metallic assemblies and the other on composites, both of which will be located in the city of Evora, Portugal.
The event was attended by the Prime Minister of Portugal, Jose Socrates Carvalho Pinto de Souza; the President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva; Embraer's President & CEO, Frederico Fleury Curad;, as well as government and press officials from both countries.
"We are pleased to announce new investments in Portugal, which represent another important strategic step towards improving Embraer's productivity and competitiveness, whilst also supporting the company's growth and its global presence," said Embraer President & CEO Frederico Fleury Curado. "We firmly believe that these technological state-of-the-art operations will represent an important contribution to the region of Evora, as well as to Portugal and to the European Union, one of our largest and most important markets, both for our supplies and aircraft sales and services."
The selection of the city of Evora resulted from a careful evaluation of several factors, including potential access to qualified labor, logistical infrastructure and the existence of a technological center dedicated to aeronautics, as set forth in the municipal master plan.
The new factories will be highly automated and use state-of-the-art manufacturing processes, in accordance with the company's lean manufacturing initiatives. They will represent an estimated investment of euro 100 million (metallic) and euro 48 million (composites) over the next six years, according to their respective implementation schedules. These investment amounts were already considered in Embraer's long-term planning and do not alter any of its economical and financial guidance.