For the first time in its 75 year history, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd has surpassed the one billion mark in sales, boosting 2013 sales by over 70% to a total of CHF 1,014 billion. The operating result (CHF 145 million) and investment (CHF 101 million), particularly in R&D and infrastructure, are also higher than ever.
The number of full-time employees at the headquarters in Stans (Switzerland) increased by 176 to 1609 over the past year (+12%).
Major orders in excess of 2 billion Swiss francs were received in 2012. Work on these orders for training aircraft and systems went ahead as fast as possible in 2013, and continues in 2014, to ensure the products are delivered on time and to the highest quality standards.
As is usual at the end of February, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) published its annual report on worldwide sales figures across a range of aircraft categories and types. The figures point to a slight year-on-year increase in sales across all categories (piston engine, turboprop, jet). As in the past two years, Pilatus ranks second with the PC-12 NG in the single-engine turboprop category.
In 2013, most of the Pilatus PC-12 NGs went, again, to customers in the USA - 42 of a total of 65 as compared to 33 machines sold in 2012.
Furthermore, the economic upturn in China and the gradual opening-up of Chinese airspace to civil aviation prompted Pilatus to set up a joint venture company to create the right conditions for a long-term entry into this market. The new company will concern itself solely with the production of parts for the PC-6 and PC-12 civilian aircraft only, for the Chinese market. Pilatus has a solid majority holding in the new company.
Pilatus unveiled the PC-24 business jet project for the first time at EBACE 2013 in Geneva. The concept earned an enthusiastic reception from both general public and specialists alike. Pilatus has since been working hard to achieve the next milestone, the rollout of the first business jet to be “Made in Switzerland”.
Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman of the Board of Directors, commented: “2013 was our first year with our new CEO, Markus Bucher, who assumed operational responsibility for the company on 1 January. Given the magnitude of the aircraft orders received in 2012 he faced several major challenges from the outset. It is thanks to his efforts, and to the efforts of the Executive Board, that 2013 was a year of record results.”
“Pilatus has earned itself a new status as a billion franc business. It is now up to us to prove we deserve our place in this new category. We're well on the way to doing exactly that”, he added.
