BERLIN (AP) -- Airbus has chosen a combination of Germany's Diehl Aerosystems and France's Thales SA as the preferred bidder for its Laupheim, Germany plant, the European aircraft maker's parent company said Saturday.
The planned sale of the Laupheim site is part of the so-called Power 8 restructuring program, aimed at cutting costs and boosting profitability after costly delays to the superjumbo A380 and the mid-size A350XWB.
Airbus parent European Aeronautic Defence & Space NV said the plant has 1,100 employees, and produces cabin linings, compartments and air ducts for planes ranging from the short-haul A320 family up to the A380.
The selection of Diehl/Thales as its possible buyer ''also includes A350XWB cabin work packages for Laupheim,'' in southwestern Germany, the company said in a statement.
It added that it hopes the bidder ''will share workload, investments and risks with Airbus and will provide Laupheim the opportunity to develop new business opportunities.''
EADS said both sides would now start negotiations on remaining details and hope ''to achieve a final agreement as soon as possible.''
Earlier this year, Airbus terminated negotiations with Germany's OHB Technology AG over the sale of three other German sites.
Airbus said it could not find a viable industrial and financial solution with OHB for the Airbus sites in Nordenham and Varel and an EADS site in Augsburg.
