Jugoimport SDPR wants Panceo-based Utva

The state-owned trading company in weapons and products for special industry, Jugoimport SDPR, as Novosti unofficially found out, is the only interested strategic partner for the acquisition of Utva. Pancevo-based plant for planes could thus confirm long-standing cooperation with SDPR whose strategic partnership would be new financial boost for former giant.

The company expects that Utva will continue work in its own field and that it will expand. They think it is important that Utva was declared to be the company of special importance for the defense of Serbia which will give the importance in decision on how it will be transformed.

According to findings of Belgrade’ daily, planes and helicopter parts and pilot-free planes in special industry will be produced in Pancevo.

In the last decade, after bombing, employees in Utva survived thanks to cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and production of “lasta “for Iraq military forces. Since 2011, they delivered 20 aircrafts to this Asian country and the Army of Serbia ordered and got 15 planes for the training of our pilots.

Utva thinks that destroyed part of the plant during 1999 could be rehabilitated and modernized quickly. In Pancevo-based plant they mentioned that the company is still working thanks to the contacts it has with the Army of Seribia.

Although Utva still works, the situation is more difficult because after the Agency for Privatization announced its sale, the status of restructuring company was cancelled. This means that Utva does not have special status anymore, neither when it comes to payment of bills to the state nor other debts to the state and public sector. Early this year, cooperation of Utva and Mubadala has been announced with respect to production of parts for Boing and Airbus. The company says the option of agreement and cooperation with Abu Dhabi-based company still exists without nothing has been agreed yet.