France to invest in PH aerospace industry

MANILA, Philippines – Exploratory talks are ongoing as France is eyeing prospects of investing in the aerospace industry of the Philippines.

France ambassador to the Philippines Gilles Garachon said in an interview there are exploratory talks on the private sector side, in time for the visit to the country of French President Francois Hollande.

The opportunities are seen in both the supply of aircraft parts, including maintenance, repair, and overhaul.

For instance, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is now working with Groupement des industries françaises aéronautiques et spatiales (GIFAS), the French aerospace industry association, on initiatives that will improve the country’s capabilities as a supplier in the global aerospace supply chain.

The DTI had said the Philippines is well credentialed as leading companies like SDV, Lufthansa Technik, MOOG Technologies, and BE Aerospace have already given the country a foothold in the global aerospace supply chain.

Early this year, the Mouvement des entreprises de France (MEDEF, or the Movement of the Enterprises of France), early this year recently sent a business delegation where the Philippine government encouraged French investment, technology, and training in aerospace, including in the field of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, and logistics.

MEDEF was a 23-man mission composed of representatives from French companies involved in airport design and construction (Aéroports de Paris, Vinci Airports); energy (Green Lighthouse); financial services (Crédit Agricole); infrastructure, transport, and public works (Citelum, Egis, SNC Lavalin, Systra, Vossloh Cogifer); (Socotec); shipbuilding (Ocea); and space technology (Collecte Localisation Satellite).

France is also looking into other industries like infrastructure, where private sector can partner with local firms, Garachon said.

French firms are already participating in some of the government’s public-private partnership (PPP) projects.

In September, French RATP Development signed a technical service agreement with the Light Rail Manila Consortium for the operation and maintenance of Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 Cavite extension project.

Bouygues Travaux Publics and Alstom Transport also signed an agreement with the consortium for the design and construction of the LRT1 Cavite extension project.

Food and health are also other areas that France can participate in the country, Garachon said.

Several French companies are already present in the country, such as Alstom, Airbus, Bureau Veritas, Cofely, Freyssinet, Matiere, Socotec and Systra, and Total. – Rappler.com

Airplane under maintenance image from Shutterstock