HNZ Group Inc, now
Canadian Helicopters Limited
Canadian Helicopters Limited, formerly a part of the Canadian operations of CHC Helicopter Corporation, operates 112 aircraft from 26 bases across Canada and provides a broad range of helicopter services to support the following activities: emerg ...
, operated 140 helicopters in support of multi-national companies and government agencies, including onshore and offshore oil & gas, mineral exploration, military support, hydro/utilities, forest management, construction, air ambulance, and search & rescue. In addition to charter services, it provided flight training and third party repair and maintenance services from 43 bases across Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Afghanistan, United States, Antarctica and southeast Asia.
History
Until November 2000, Canadian Helicopters was the domestic operating arm of
Canadian Helicopters International
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
, a wholly owned subsidiary of
CHC Helicopter Corporation
CHC Helicopter is a Texas-based helicopter services company.
CHC Helicopter maintains it global headquarters in Irving, Texas and operates more than 250 aircraft in 30 countries around the world. CHC's major international operating units are b ...
. In 2000, CHI entered into an agreement with Fonds de Solidarité FTQ (FSTQ) and the management of its two domestic divisions, Canadian Helicopters Eastern and Canadian Helicopters Western, for the sale of an interest in the divisions' assets in a
management buyout
A management buyout (MBO) is a form of acquisition in which a company's existing managers acquire a large part, or all, of the company, whether from a parent company or individual. Management-, and/or leveraged buyout became noted phenomena of ...
. As a result, the senior management and FSTQ acquired 10% and 45% equity interests in Canadian Helicopters, respectively, while CHC retained a 45% equity interest. The management buyout was completed in November 2000 at which time the management team integrated the eastern and western operations to form Canadian Helicopters Limited.
The company went public on the TSX in 2005 at which time CHC Helicopter Corporation divested itself of its equity interest and holds no interest in the company to this day. In 2011, Canadian Helicopters Group Inc. purchased Helicopters New Zealand (HNZ) for NZ$154 million, and in 2012 changed the name of the combined company to HNZ Group Inc. On December 29, 2017, CHL Heli, a company beneficially wholly-owned by Don Wall (HNZ’s President and CEO), acquired ownership and control of all of the common shares and variable voting shares of HNZ Group Inc. pursuant to a statutory plan of arrangement under section 192 of the ''Canada Business Corporations Act''. In connection with the completion of the arrangement, CHL Heli amalgamated with HNZ Group Inc. to form
Canadian Helicopters Limited
Canadian Helicopters Limited, formerly a part of the Canadian operations of CHC Helicopter Corporation, operates 112 aircraft from 26 bases across Canada and provides a broad range of helicopter services to support the following activities: emerg ...
. HNZ Group Inc's shares were delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange on January 3, 2018.
References
{{Airlines of Canada
1987 establishments in Newfoundland and Labrador
Canadian companies established in 1987
Airlines of Canada
Helicopter airlines
Airlines established in 1987
Companies based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
ru:Canadian Helicopters