The aviation supplier FACC slipped into the red operationally in the third quarter. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) amounted to minus 1,9 million euros. In contrast, the turnover of the aircraft parts supplier rose by more than 26 percent compared to the previous year.

The main reason for the loss was the “Interiors” business area, in which the group lost around 2022 million euros between July and September 4,2. The bottom line is a quarterly loss of 9,6 million euros, according to the company in a press release.

In the “Interiors” business area, FACC equips aircraft cabins with luggage compartments above the seats, among other things. The board indicated the problems in the quarterly report and speaks of "ramp up of new projects in the interior area, in a currently complex environment". The high number of new configurations has "negative effects on the learning curves" and the "delay in the supplier change affects the costs".

In terms of sales, the Interiors Division is FACC's most important division. In the third quarter, it contributed sales of EUR 62 million, while the other two business areas “Aerostructures” and “Engines & Nacelles” delivered EUR 61,7 million. euros or 25,7 million euros. Total sales were EUR 149,5 million, an increase of 26,6 percent compared to the third quarter of 2021.

The FACC Management Board did not touch the outlook for the full year 2022. It remains unchanged with a forecast sales growth of around 10 percent to 550 million euros and an EBIT "in the low double-digit million range". After nine months, the group has an EBIT of 4,2 million euros.

The corona crisis and the effects on the aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus also hit the Upper Austrian supplier hard. FACC continues to assume that pre-crisis sales will not be reached until 2024 or 2025. FACC is 55,5 percent majority owned by the Chinese state-owned armaments group AVIC, the remaining 44,5 percent of the shares are listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange.