The FINANCIAL -- The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has authorized
an $87.1 million guarantee of a loan extended by Crédit Agricole and
other European lenders to Hispasat Canarias S.L.U., a Hispasat S.A.
(Hispasat) subsidiary based in Madrid, Spain, that will finance the
assembly and purchase of a satellite to be manufactured by Orbital
Sciences Corporation (Orbital) of Dulles, Va.
The guarantee, which is Ex-Im Bank’s third transaction with Hispasat, will support approximately 600 U.S. jobs, according to bank estimates derived from Departments of Commerce and Labor data and methodology.
“This transaction is yet another example of our commitment to support high-tech jobs throughout America,” said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “The ‘Made in America’ brand is second to none, and it is our job to ensure it always has an equal footing with competitors in the international market.”
Established in 1989, Hispasat is the fourth largest western European satellite operator and the eighth largest operator in the world. It currently manages a constellation of seven active satellites and plans to expand its fleet. Additionally, an Ex-Im Bank transaction involving the company was recognized as “Deal of the Year”at the 2012 Ex-Im Bank Annual Conference.
The Amazonas-4A satellite, a Ku-band satellite equipped with 24 transponders, is expected to launch in 2014 and will occupy the company’s orbital slot over Brazil. It will provide coverage to the Americas and respond to the increasing demand of direct-to-home and high-definition television broadcasts. Orbital Sciences Corporation was founded in 1982 and specializes in designing, building, testing and operating small- and medium-size satellites, rockets and other space systems. As the Export-Import Bank of the United States said, the company provides its space systems products to commercial customers, such as Hispasat, as well as to U.S. government agencies, including NASA, the Department of Defense, and intelligence agencies. Orbital employs almost 4,000 people, primarily in Virginia and Arizona, with other smaller locations around the country.
“Ex-Im Bank has played a critical role in the financing of several high-value commercial satellites built by Orbital,” said Garrett Pierce, vice chairman and chief financial officer of Orbital. “Ex-Im Bank's participation has enabled us to compete on a level playing field around the world and win new export-related business. In addition, our success in capturing new orders of state-of-the-art spacecraft provides hundreds of high-tech and high-wage jobs for Orbital's workforce and throughout our extensive network of U.S.-based suppliers.”
Ex-Im Bank authorized a record-breaking $1.4 billion to finance exports of American-made telecommunications satellites in FY 2012. In the first quarter of FY 2013, Ex-Im Bank has already authorized $516.9 million.
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