An Astrium, now Airbus, satellite integration room. Photo: Airbus

[Via Satellite 1-3-2014] EADS, as part of the company’s restructuring, has started the new year with its official rebranding as Airbus Group. Uniting all its activities under a single and brand, Airbus Group has also renamed its defense and space division. Going forward, Astrium Services will now be part of Airbus Defense and Space together with Cassidian and Airbus Military. Thus, the company’s  defense, space and military branches are being merged  into one division.

Furthermore, the Group is launching procedures to change the legal form of its holding by 2015: Once renamed, Airbus Group N.V. shall turn into a European Company, Airbus Group SE (Societas Europaea) which will continue to be registered in the Netherlands. “We are a pioneer for European industrial integration. It is a logical step and high time that our multinational culture is also mirrored in our legal structure,” said Enders. This legal conversion has no impact on the organization or operations of the Group.

Both the legal name change into Airbus Group N.V. and the conversion of the legal form into SE are subject to approval of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Shareholders: while adoption of the new name is expected at the AGM in May 2014, the legal conversion is targeted for approval in May of 2015