PART I
Item 1. Business
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative products and services around the world. We have approximately 35,000 employees worldwide. Textron Inc. was founded in 1923 and reincorporated in Delaware on July 31, 1967. Unless otherwise indicated, references to “Textron Inc.,” the “Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K refer to Textron Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.
We conduct our business through five operating segments: Textron Aviation, Bell, Textron Systems and Industrial, which represent our manufacturing businesses, and Finance, which represents our finance business. A description of the business of each of our segments is set forth below. Our segments include operations that are unincorporated divisions of Textron Inc. and others that are separately incorporated subsidiaries. The following description of our business should be read in conjunction with Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations on pages 19 through 34 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K refers to our continuing businesses unless otherwise indicated.
Textron Aviation Segment
Textron Aviation is a leader in general aviation. Textron Aviation manufactures, sells and services Beechcraft and Cessna aircraft, and services the Hawker brand of business jets. The segment has two principal product lines: aircraft and aftermarket parts and services. Aircraft includes sales of business jets, turboprop aircraft, piston engine aircraft, and military trainer and defense aircraft. Aftermarket parts and services includes commercial parts sales, and maintenance, inspection and repair services. Revenues in the Textron Aviation segment accounted for 38%, 36% and 33% of our total revenues in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
The family of jets currently offered by Textron Aviation includes the Citation M2, Citation CJ3+, Citation CJ4, Citation XLS+, Citation Latitude, Citation Sovereign+ and the Citation Longitude, a super mid-size jet, which achieved type certification and began deliveries in late 2019. We are no longer developing the previously announced Hemisphere, a large-cabin jet.
Textron Aviation’s turboprop aircraft include the Beechcraft King Air C90GTx, King Air 250, King Air 350ER and King Air 350i, and the Cessna Caravan and Grand Caravan EX. Textron Aviation is developing the Cessna Skycourier, a twin-engine, high-wing, large-utility turboprop aircraft, which is targeted for first flight in early 2020. The Denali, a high-performance single engine turboprop aircraft under development, is also expected to achieve its first flight in 2021. In addition, Textron Aviation’s piston engine aircraft include the Beechcraft Baron and Bonanza, and the Cessna Skyhawk, Skylane, and the Turbo Stationair HD.
Textron Aviation’s military trainer and defense aircraft include the T-6 trainer, which has been used to train pilots from more than 20 countries. Textron Aviation also offers the AT-6 light attack military aircraft and the Scorpion, a highly affordable, multi-mission aircraft, both of which are not yet in production, pending customer orders.
In support of its family of aircraft, Textron Aviation operates a global network of 20 service centers, two of which are co-located with Bell Helicopter, along with more than 300 authorized independent service centers located throughout the world. Textron Aviation-owned service centers provide customers with 24-hour service and maintenance. Textron Aviation also provides its customers with around-the-clock parts support and offers a mobile support program with over 70 mobile service units. In addition, Able Aerospace Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Textron Aviation, also provides component and maintenance, repair and overhaul services in support of commercial and military fixed- and rotor-wing aircraft.
Textron Aviation markets its products worldwide through its own sales force, as well as through a network of authorized independent sales representatives. Textron Aviation has several competitors domestically and internationally in various market segments. Textron Aviation’s aircraft compete with other aircraft that vary in size, speed, range, capacity and handling characteristics on the basis of price, product quality and reliability, direct operating costs, product support and reputation.
Bell Segment
Bell is one of the leading suppliers of military and commercial helicopters, tiltrotor aircraft, and related spare parts and services in the world. Revenues for Bell accounted for 24%, 23% and 23% of our total revenues in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
Bell supplies advanced military helicopters and support to the U.S. Government and to military customers outside the United States. Bell’s primary U.S. Government programs are the V-22 tiltrotor aircraft and the H-1 helicopters. Bell is one of the leading suppliers of helicopters to the U.S. Government and, in association with The Boeing Company (Boeing), the only supplier of military tiltrotor aircraft. Tiltrotor aircraft are designed to provide the benefits of both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Through its strategic