Airbus Atlantic takes ease in the arsenal area

Dès 2002, the Sogerma of the time (1) had warned that if it were to develop, its alarm would force it to leave Rochefort. Faced with the biggest provider of private local jobs, elected officials from the Rochefort Océan agglomeration community did not take the possibility lightly and preferred to anticipate.

To give space to the heavyweight of aeronautics, they did not hesitate to invest 6.5 million euros with the help of the wasteland to redevelop the area of ​​the Arsenal under which the old prison lies. And sell 24,000 m² of land at Airbus Atlantic, now expanding. This Monday, April 28, this Monday, she inaugurated three new buildings, consolidating her presence in the city Arsenal and contributing to the reindustrialisation of the country.

Immense

The 8,000 m² on the ground of the three halls, built on piles 38 meters deep and in the spirit of sustainable development, increases by 10 % the production surface of the 16 hectare site in total. It’s huge, 10 to 13 meters high. It must be said that here, we do not make small parts since we assemble parts of planes.

Hall n ° 1 will host the products leaving the site. Hall n ° 2 will be used for incoming products such as the metal panels necessary for fuselage. As for hall n ° 3, the elements of the A320 will be produced there, in particular the boats 13-14 (2). “We were saturated despite the purchase, in 2010, of Zodiac premises, then others in 2015 and the construction of hall n ° 5 in 2019”, explains CEO Cédric Gautier.

The workforce followed: 600 employees in 2002, 800 in 2012, 900 in 2018 and more than 1,000 in 2024 with 120 new hires. There are still 80 new posts to provide to respond to the orders of orders that are full. Without forgetting the 250 temporary workers working here, nor the 72 apprentices and other work -study students. “We concentrate, in France, the highly qualified jobs, while subcontracting 70 % with our subsidiaries in Tunisia, Morocco and Portugal,” continues the boss.

It must be said that Airbus Atlantic is one of the global references to aerostructure. Here, we design and make fuselage complexes at high cadence: boat 13-14, but also T13 pavilions and 14a sections. “At least one element of structure of the A320 is manufactured in Rochefort,” comments Christophe Betancourt, site director. Without forgetting the manufacture of the pilot seats of all Airbus (3) aircraft, a specialty that makes Airbus Atlantic the world n ° 1. And it is n ° 2 for the first class or business class armchairs that are born here. These luxury products are sold under the Stelia brand to all airlines, including the great American competitor Boeing! “Made in Rochefort is exported all over the world,” comments Cédric Gautier.

Ever more

But Airbus Atlantic intends to fly even higher. While the three new halls have just been delivered this Monday, April 28, the CEO announced a new extension in two years. Negotiations for the purchase of new land south of the site are righteous, Cédric Gautier already knows the destination.

“Within two years, two new buildings will be born. One of 8,000 m² will double the current production capacity of premium seats; The other, hall n ° 4 which will measure 2,000 m², will increase the production of aerostructures for the A350. For the time being, we produce 12 main train boxes per month; We intend to reach 27 each month, ”explains the boss who promises a reorganization of the site and new hires in 2027.

This project will represent an investment of several tens of millions of euros, while Airbus Atlantic has just bet as much on the installations inaugurated on Monday. No details on the number of dozens, apart from that “it is the most important of investments since Airbus Atlantic has existed”. Recall that the Airbus subsidiary 100 %, 15 times winner France 2030, has benefited from 48 million euros invested by the State over several years. Rochefort wants to be ready to give birth to the plane of tomorrow at home.

(1) Having become Stelia Aerospace in 2015, then Airbus Atlantic in 2021.

(2) lower element of the fuselage.

(3) Except those of the A220.

Airbus redeem Spirit

In 2006, Boeing sold his Spirit aerostructure company, which then developed its markets with Airbus in particular. Conversely, Airbus internalized its skills by creating an autonomous aerostructure subsidiary, Airbus Atlantic, which records a turnover of 5.6 billion euros per year. Today, Airbus bought the two Spirit sites from Saint-Nazaire and Casablanca.