Boeing

The Boeing Company will open a new European office here June 18, Boeing said today.

The office will be headed by Franz Viehböck, general director of Space & Communications in Europe, widely known in Austria as its only Cosmonaut. Viehböck comes to his new assignment from Boeing Space & Communications Group headquarters in Seal Beach, Ca., where in recent years he has held a series of increasingly responsible positions in international marketing and business development.

"Like all Boeing offices in Europe, the Vienna office will be prepared to serve the wide range of Boeing commercial, military, and space customers," Viehböck said. "But, the emphasis will be on developing the Company's space and communications businesses."

Viehböck added, "We are seeking to establish closer ties with our partners and customers in Western Europe, Russia and Ukraine - plus develop new ties with the countries of Eastern Europe. The overall goal is to increase the number and robustness of our business alliances and partnerships in Europe, to increase our customer focus there, and to augment our responsiveness to European business issues and opportunities."

The Vienna office joins numerous Boeing offices in Europe - including Brussels (the center for Boeing Commercial Airplanes Group) and London (the center for Military Aircraft & Missiles Group) - plus offices in France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.

"With the opening of the Vienna Office to focus on space and communications issues, all three Boeing product groups will now have full European representation," Viehböck said. "This is a critical element in the long-term Boeing strategy to develop strong customer ties and forge new alliances and partnerships throughout Europe."

The Vienna office particulars are:

The Boeing Company
Landstrasser Haupstrasse 1/3
A-1030 Vienna

Local Austria Telephone - 01-718-1000
Long Distance Out of County Telephone - 43-01-718-1000

Boeing Space & Communications Group employs approximately 40,000 people worldwide and provides an array of products and services in launch services, information & communications, orbital systems & exploration, and missile defense systems.

The unit is responsible for the Delta family of launch vehicles, the Shuttle orbiter fleet, the Boeing role in the international Sea Launch consortium, and the Global Positioning System Block IIF satellite system. Space & Communications programs in Europe include NATO AWACS, maritime patrol systems for the United Kingdom, Patriot Advanced Capability-3, and Navy Theater Wide missile defense.

The unit is also NASA's prime contractor for the International Space Station - whose 16 worldwide team members include the members of the European Space Agency.

Boeing works with more than 500 major suppliers in 21 countries in Europe. The Company estimates that, over the next five years, it will support more than 90,000 jobs annually in Europe.