For ten years, Ruguang Geng held the position of Chairman of the Supervisory Board of FACC, from which he retired at the end of 2019. He now looks back on a period marked by great successes for AVIC and FACC.
Mr. Geng, about ten years ago AVIC became the majority owner of FACC. How did such a large corporate group become aware of a company, which at that time was still a medium-sized Upper Austrian company?
Since its founding in 1993, AVIC has developed into one of the most important aerospace groups in the world. Much of this success is the result of our own efforts. However, our global partners and subsidiaries, whose know-how perfectly complements AVIC’s portfolio, also have a major role to play. We became aware of their critical importance very early on. When screening the market for potential shareholdings, we therefore do not primarily focus on high sales, but rather on qualitative criteria. And this is where FACC convinced us immediately.
Have FACC and AVIC benefited from this partnership in equal measure?
That I am certain of! In the past ten years, FACC has tripled its sales, more than doubled its workforce, commissioned two new plants and entered into entirely different markets. This would have been nearly impossible without the commitment of AVIC. On the other hand, FACC is now our main supplier of composite parts for our COMAC passenger aircraft and therefore makes a substantial contribution to the success of this aircraft program.
You have been living in Austria now since many years. Do you already feel at home here?
Yes, you could say that. Particularly Austria’s pristine nature, the mountains, forests and lakes, impressed me from the very beginning. Later on, I also got to discover the diverse cultural offer and Austria’s fascinating history. This small country in the heart of Europe has great treasures to offer. This is something all Austrians should remember.