I perceived Bombardier Inc. with a good eye during my youth, in part because bombardier generated a portion of the revenue where my father worked. Metofer Inc. produced many different parts for Bombardier Inc., mainly for their Ski-Doo models and the Montreal metro rolling stocks. However, this was only until Bombardier Inc. decided to rip most of the production from Canadians and shift it to Mexico.
It is during this period that Bombardier Inc. failed hard in my esteem. It was more than Metofer’s loss; it was also about the inner scoops overheard over the years. Important people meet up; it trickled down to the director of production and supervisor, both positions held by my father. At dinnertime, a few times my father recounted meet up events with Bombardier Inc. representatives, where it was arduous to the point they were over demanding. Thus, negative stories that were accumulating against Bombardier Inc. had its toll on me. I am witness to this, Metofer Inc. kept bowing to Bombardier Inc. for the sole purpose of keeping its workers occupied. Overall, Metofer Inc. made little money during this era with Bombardier Inc., as it was about keeping jobs rather than excess income. Applaud!
Bombardier pushed for cheaper priced products while demanding the same quality or higher, all the while charging more for the rolling stocks the government purchased (public money). Hence, less money for Metofer Inc. and more for Bombardier Inc. Moreover, rolling stock production has been very lucrative all along for Bombardier Inc., home, abroad, yesterday or today. For this reason, it is sad to know they sent some jobs to Mexico and or choked Canadian companies with diminutive profits. I am sure they still do, for those Canadians companies still dealing with them.
Also during that period, months before the mainstream media spewed the news my father had told me about rumors of Bombardier Inc. taking over Canadair. At that time, albeit only 11 years old, I was an avid enthusiast of aircraft and their respective manufacturer, thus, with some knowledge on the matter, you can bet I was fuming at the news. I was opposed to the takeover as I failed to understand the shift Bombardier Inc. was doing. Even worst, within a few years they started to buy all kinds of aviation related companies, but most of them failing companies, such as Learjet.
Fast-forward a bit more than 30 years, now, by divesting of its commercial aviation division, Bombardier Inc. proved taking over Canadair was a mistake from day one. At the time, I vouched for the French entity Aérospatiale to take over Canadair. Not only Aérospatiale had the capability to use the Canadair plant efficiently, it would have competed against McDonnell Douglas, Lockheed and Boeing in their own Northern American soil. Unknowingly, this would have precipitated the creation and assent of Airbus as a serious aircraft manufacturer.
Since Aérospatiale (maker of Concorde) in some ways became Airbus, and I vouched for Airbus and ancestry all my life, I cannot be happier how everything is turning out. After more than 30 years, this is a bittersweet victory.
Now, the countdown for the rest of Bombardier Inc. flying endeavor to die completely. Because the only airtime Bombardier Inc. can handle, is airtime made with recreational items. Stick to it!
One last word, because it is important.
Alain M. Bellemare and other self-entitled, secured loans just a couple of years ago from both the provincial and federal governments. Their reasoning for the public money was to help with the making of the C-Series jet by Bombardier Inc., and in the process reassure no further layoffs.
However, while they helped the manufacture in some ways, these pieces of molested carbon atom of CEO and others, took in hefty sums of bonuses, extra stock options mainly. The company is not doing well, demand public money, and the CEO and clan gives themselves extras. Their reasoning for this; “consistent with what’s seen at other companies”.
The problem is, those companies are lucrative and doing well, Bombardier Inc. commercial aviation sector was never profitable.
After a public outcry, they thinned down their bonuses, but they still gave themselves hefty sums in the millions, let us not fool ourselves.
Move forward a few meager years to present day, the same CEO and cronies announces Bombardier Inc. need to divest of its commercial aviation sector, fault of doing well.
How is that for performance, hey?
Who cares, Airbus is majoritaire now at 75%. I guess it is never too late to say merci and clean up that shack of its rats, s’il vous plaît.