AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that Polish helicopter manufacturer PZL-Swidnik delivered the 1000th fuselage to AgustaWestland during an official ceremony held today in Swidnik, marking 13 years of successful co-operation between the two companies. The helicopter model with the privilege of being the 1000th fuselage was the AW109 LUH.

AgustaWestland has one of its most important and long-lasting industrial collaborations in Poland. PZL-Swidnik delivered the first AW109 Power airframe in 1996 and celebrated the delivery of the 500th airframe in June 2006. PZL-Swidnik is currently producing airframes for the AW119Ke, AW109 Power, AW109 LUH, Grand and also the AW139 helicopter, of which it is a programme risk-sharing partner. The work given to PZL-Swidnik by AgustaWestland in 2008 accounted for around 35% of PZL-Swidnik total annual turnover.

On 18th August 2009 AgustaWestland signed the Preliminary Share Purchase Agreement with Agencja Rozwoju Przemyslu S.A. (ARP) for the purchase of 87.62% of the total share capital of PZL-Swidnik for a total sum of PLN 339 million. The acquisition is subject to the usual antitrust approvals and is expected to be completed around the end of this year. The 87.62% stake will come in addition to the 6.2% already currently owned by AgustaWestland.

After the closing of the transaction, AgustaWestland will fully integrate the Polish factory with Poland becoming the third European-leg of AgustaWestland together with UK and Italy.