Brazilian plane manufacturer Embraer is seeking to open its first African service centre in Nairobi next year.
The centre, a partnership with Kenya Airways, is expected to serve the firm’s growing clients in the region and help it close new deals as airlines increasingly look at Africa for growth.
“We are investing in authorise service centres in Africa like the one that will be opened, hopefully soon, in Nairobi beginning next year,” said Embraer’s Commercial Aviation president and chief executive Paulo Cesar Silva in an interview with the Business Daily on Thursday when the manufacturer delivered an E-190 to KQ. This was the manufacturer’s 900th delivery.
“We don’t know how many people we will have here. It will depend on the business. But definitely it will be a growing business as more and more Embraers fly in Africa,” he said.
Embraer is partnering with Kenya Airways, its biggest client in Africa, to open the Nairobi service centre.
The manufacturer is also posting more of its staff to Africa, investing in warehouses for spare parts and dedicating more employees to service its African clients.
“We see Africa as a huge potential for business going forward. And we want to be part of the development of Africa’s aviation, especially intra-Africa air traffic,” he said.
The Brazilian firm has in the past year launched a charm offensive in Africa as it seeks to cut the dominance of Boeing and Airbus.
This is in line with the push by Brazil to boost trade with continent as emerging countries gradually shift their economic dependence away from rich nations.
Africa’s aviation market is set to soar, powered by the resource-rich continent’s robust economic growth and burgeoning consumer market, which are driving business and leisure travel.
This has sparked increased investor interest in the continent with a focus on budget airlines, which is watering the market for players like Embraer.
KQ plans to increase its order for Embraers from 16 this financial year to 33 with majority being the E190 jets.
Other Embraer clients in the region include Ethiopian Airways, LAM Mozambique and Egypt Air Express.
Though the aircraft market is dominated by Boeing and Airbus, Bombardier and Embraer have started to make inroads in the region, competing to supply single isle planes ideal for domestic and regional travel.
In May, Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier Aerospace was in Kenya, as part of its Africa tour to showcase its recent plane, the Q400.
Source :businessdailyafrica.com
