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View Full Version : Qantas, Patrick to buy Ansett asset


Wirraway
29th Sep 2003, 14:28
AAP

Qantas, Patrick to buy Ansett asset
September 29, 2003

QANTAS Airways Ltd and Virgin Blue part-owner Patrick Corp Ltd have formed a joint venture to acquire the former Ansett engine maintenance facility in Melbourne.

Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said the joint venture, known as Engine Services Company or ESCO, had submitted an offer for the Tullamarine facility to the Ansett administrator.

"The Qantas fleet has grown significantly over the past two years and we have been assessing a range of options for the fleet's future engine maintenance requirements," Mr Dixon said in a statement.

"We are delighted that ESCO will enable us to provide additional specialised engine maintenance jobs in Australia and achieve this with a business structure that will be competitive and sustainable."

Mr Dixon said Qantas had reached agreement with the Australian Workers Union (AWU), the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) and the ACTU on an enterprise bargaining agreement for ESCO. The proposed purchase price for the former Ansett engine maintenance facility was not disclosed.

But Mr Dixon said Qantas' investment in ESCO highlighted the company's continuing investment in engineering and maintenance infrastructure in Australia.

That included the establishment of a Boeing 767 major maintenance hangar in Brisbane next year and the expansion of its apprenticeship program with more than 500 apprentices employed.

Mr Dixon said if the ESCO offer was accepted the former Ansett facility would become a Centre of Excellence for General Electric and CFMI engines, providing high quality maintenance with world class turnaround times and competitive costs.

This would allow other Qantas maintenance facilities to simplify their businesses and achieve world class competitive performance, he said.

ESCO will maintain all Qantas' General Electric and CFMI engines while the Sydney engine facility will maintain Rolls Royce engine types, Mr Dixon said.

The existing facility at Tullamarine Airport will focus on maintenance of Auxiliary Power Units.

AAP

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Torres
29th Sep 2003, 14:31
That should fund the Liquidators for a few weeks. Pity the ex AN staff won't benefit! :yuk:

Buster Hyman
29th Sep 2003, 15:44
I was all set to run out & buy some food until I read that it was an offer to the administrators only.....I'm sure, in my best interests, they'll reject the offer in the hope of obtaining a higher price!!!:mad:

spagiola
30th Sep 2003, 22:34
Wasn't Patrick Corp going to buy the ex-AN 146QT freighters? Is that still on?

fruitloop
1st Oct 2003, 03:55
spagiola.
It would be good if true !! I think that they are going to Europe in the not to distant future.

lame
1st Oct 2003, 06:43
Buster,

Hang in there mate. :ok:

Hopefully it will all work out for you soon.

Best regards,

lame.

Buster Hyman
1st Oct 2003, 08:17
LAME's BACK!!!!!

Cheers lame, & welcome back! (nudge, nudge!);)

It's a very "in" term at the moment, but all I'm after nowadays is closure on this sordid affair. As Kaptin M, I think, put it, they'll wear us down until we take whatever pathetic offering they give us. Good strategy, just very obvious....BA$TARDS!:mad:

lame
1st Oct 2003, 11:49
Thank you Buster.......... :D