Omnipol has acquired Aero Vodochody Aerospace from Penta Investments in a joint venture with Hungarian businessman Andras Tombor. Tombor holds a 51 percent stake in AERO Investments Partners, and Omnipol has a 49 percent in the joint venture.
The Omnipol Group, which is controlled by the Háva family, will manage the company.
“Aero is one of the strongest Czech brands and a concept that rightly arouses national pride in many people. Aero has not only a great past, but also a huge potential for the future. We want to continue the company’s tradition and restore its reputation in the Czech and global markets. We will develop all three pillars of Aero’s activities, support for users of aircraft from the company’s production, cooperation with major global aircraft manufacturers, and, of course, the L-39NG project,” said Omnipol owner Richard Háva.
The Omnipol Group is historically associated with Aero. Since 2015, Omnipol has also been a strategic partner in the new generation L-39 project. As a 50% participant in the project, the group has already cooperated very intensively with Aero.
Aero Vodochody Aerospace focuses on the development, production, maintenance, of civil and military aircraft. It is the largest aircraft manufacturer in the Czech Republic and one of the oldest aircraft manufacturers worldwide. During its century-long existence, it has produced about 11,000 aircraft. Aero employs around 1,350 people. Before the outbreak of the pandemic, the company expected to double sales this year to almost six billion crowns and return to black numbers. Last year, its management was loss-making due to investments in the project of a new L-39NG aircraft.