MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil’s Embrear becomes the world’s leading executive-jet manufacturer

At a cost of 3,9 million US dollars, Phenom 100 became the hottest selling

Brazilian executive-jet maker Embraer boosted by domestic demand, became in 2010 the number one world company in sales totalling 145 units and 19% of the global market.

The hot selling Phenom 100, at a price of 3.9 million USD and sufficient autonomy to travel from Rio do Janeiro to Buenos Aires, was the best performer with 126 units sold.

Phenom 100 was first built in December 2008 and 200 are already flying, of which 60 in Brazil, among which two belonging to one of the country’s wealthiest people, minerals tycoon Eike Batista.

Last year 713 executive jets were sold which was 12.3% less than in 2009 with 870. According to the US manufacturers’ association Embraer now holds 19% of the world market, when two years ago it was only 3%.

Apparently Embaer took advantage of the fact that because of the 2008/09 financial crisis many orders were cancelled but others planned for delivery in 2013 and 2014 were advanced.

Embraer in February also opened its first assembly plant in the United States, more precisely in Melbourne, Florida. The first Brazilian executive jet to be assembled will be the Phenom 100.

“The inauguration is a milestone for Embraer since we are now able to bring our operations closer to our clients of our major market” said Federico Embraer CEO Federico Fleury Curado

The plant at the Melbourne airport located in a 14.000 square meters space and has a 7.500 square meters hangar plus a paint tunnel; in a second phase a Customer Centre will be opened. In these facilities Embraer clients will be able to choose how to design the interior of their executive jets.

The first US assembled Phenom 100 is scheduled to roll out in the last quarter of this year.

The whole operation involves an investment of 50 million US dollars. The Embraer undertaking is in association with the state of Florida, the Economic Committee for the Development of Florida’s Space Coast; the Melbourne international airport, the city of Melbourne and BBVA Compass Bank.