Airbus was founded in 1970 and incorporated initially as a Franco-German consortium (Airbus Industrie), formed by the aerospace companies of France, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), and Spain. It is now headquartered in Toulouse, France.
Key developments:
- Created as European collaboration to compete with US manufacturers
- 2001: Transformed from consortium into single integrated company
- 2014: Group restructured as Airbus Group (now just Airbus)
Ownership:
- Publicly traded company (listed in France, Germany, and Spain)
- Major shareholders include:
- Public float (74%)
- SOGEPA (French state holding company, 11%)
- GZBV (German state holding company, 11%)
- SEPI (Spanish state holding company, 4%)
The company has evolved from a European consortium to become one of the world’s largest aerospace manufacturers, competing primarily with Boeing in commercial aircraft manufacturing, while also having significant defense and space divisions.