The Emirates Defence Industries Company, EDIC, is returning to the national exhibition scene this week to showcase its air platform businesses at the 2015 Dubai Airshow, following its national debut at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference, IDEX, in February this year.

EDIC is an integrated defence manufacturing and services platform employing 10,000 people in the air, land and sea platforms. Eight of EDIC's companies will be exhibiting at the show, including AMMROC and GAL, premiere providers of maintenance, repair and overhaul, MRO services for fixed and rotary wing aircraft to the UAE Armed Forces; ADASI, which offers a comprehensive range of services for all types of autonomous systems, and Tawazun Precision Industries, a world-class manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi operating in the defence, aerospace and oil and gas business.

"The Dubai Airshow is a great opportunity for our companies in the air platform to showcase their growing capabilities in maintenance, repair and overhaul, unmanned systems and advanced manufacturing," said Luc Vigneron, Chief Executive Officer of EDIC.

EDIC is in the process of consolidating several companies within its portfolio, identifying synergies across the group and building on economies of scale. Many of the companies have been in operation for decades and are building a platform for the next phase of growth. Once the consolidation is complete by 2017, EDIC is set to be a substantial industrial services player and one of the largest such groups in the Gulf region.

"We are aligning capabilities within the platform to best meet the demands of the UAE Armed Forces. For example, GAL, which specialises in first line, light maintenance of military aviation, is working increasingly closely with AMMROC, which offers second line, deep level maintenance, repair and overhaul services. This comprehensive service offering allows us to help keep the Armed Forces at a peak state of readiness."

EDIC will also take advantage of the Dubai Airshow to engage with its international partners.

Vigneron added, "We are focused on localising elements of the defence industry supply chain, especially maintenance and certification. As we progress, we are seeking committed partners who will work with us to identify and address challenges in terms of technology transfer and developing UAE National talent."

Source: WAM