A partnership between German firm Diehl and France's Thales has been picked to take over from Airbus a German factory that finishes cabin interiors for the European aircraft-maker, a statement said Saturday.
The statement from Airbus and parent company EADS said Diehl-Thales was favoured to buy the plant at Laupheim, which employs 1,100 people, and negotiations on details of the sale would begin.
Diehl-Thales was selected over France's Zodiac group to take over Laupheim, one of seven factories which Airbus wants to sell as part of a restructuring move, the AFP reported.
The site in Laupheim and a British wing unit in Filton, near Bristol, are the two Airbus plants considered most likely to be sold. Airbus is in talks with Britain's GKN over Filton.
The plane-maker is having more difficulties divesting itself of the five other plants, two in France and three in Germany.