Partners in technology

"The MOU will be signed shortly and certainly before the summer," said Richard Foster, director for international research projects at Airbus. He said it is difficult to estimate the value of the contract as it depends on the amount of research that will be done, although it will be considerable.

"Two hundred researchers from Poland will be involved in the projects in research institutes in Warsaw, Poznań, Toruń and Gliwice, which should give you an idea of the size of the undertaking," said Tomasz Kośmider, president of Technology Partners.

The research will cover fields such as surface technologies, materials science, ergonomics and environmental technologies, mathematical modeling, measurement and testing.

In 2006 Airbus' turnover in Poland is predicted to reach an estimated $10 (zł.32.64) million.

Polish companies already working for Airbus include PZL Świdnik, which supplies door parts for passenger and baggage compartments, PZL Okęcie, which assembles floor sections, the Gdansk-based Stocznia Remontowa, which makes barges for transporting parts of the Airbus A380, and Krosno-Goodrich, which produces shock absorbers for landing gear.

With 1,111 new orders in 2005 valued at $95.9 (zł.312.1) billion, Airbus continued to outsell its competitor Boeing for the fifth consecutive year.