By Laurence Frost and Tim Hepher
By Laurence Frost and Tim Hepher
PARIS, Dec 18 (Reuters) – Airbus AIR.PA is on target to finish 2019 with an increase in its order backlog after netting extra gross sales than deliveries throughout its main merchandise, a senior govt mentioned on Wednesday, thanks partly to robust demand in Asia.
Airbus is predicted to beat arch-rival Boeing BA.N in orders and, unusually, in deliveries this yr because the Boeing 737 MAX stays grounded with its manufacturing now additionally halted.
The launch of a long-range new model of the mainstay Airbus A321 medium-range jet, and a wave of enterprise in Asia, has led to a higher-than-expected haul for Europe’s planemaker.
Chief Industrial Officer Christian Scherer, who stepped up from the ATR turboprop affiliate to take the highest Airbus gross sales job simply over a yr in the past, hinted that Airbus would high 1,000 gross orders this yr, up no less than 20% from 2018.
The strong efficiency comes regardless of commerce tensions and U.S. tariffs on…