This French aviation juggernaut is a “victim” of the success of its high-tech engine and is injecting a billion euros to expand throughout the world

A colossal investment around the world for one to cope with the success of Safran's LEAP engine.

Safran Aircraft Engines announced the launch of an investment plan for more of a billion euros intended to develop its global maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) network for the LEAP engine. This major project aims to support the rapid expansion of the fleet of LEAP engines which now equip the majority of new single-aisle aircraft such as the Airbus A320neo, the Boeing 737 MAX and the COMAC C919, representing nearly 4,000 aircraft in circulation throughout the world.

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Jean-Paul Alary, President of Safran Aircraft Engines, highlights the scale of the success of the LEAP engine, chosen by nearly 180 airlines. Faced with this exponential demand, Safran is embarking on an unprecedented resizing of its MRO network. The objective? Adapt and significantly increase after-sales service capabilities to effectively meet future needs.

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Expansion and internationalization of the network

The investment provides for the creation and expansion of several sites around the world. In Europe, a new site has already been inaugurated in Brussels, and others are planned in Hyderabad in India and Casablanca in Morocco for 2025 and 2026 respectively. In the Americas, a second workshop will be built in Querétaro, Mexico, with a new test bench planned for 2026. In France, the Villaroche and Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines sites will see their capacities expanded in the same years.

Development of repair capabilities

In addition to geographic expansion, Safran also plans to increase its repair capacities with the creation of a new site in Rennes dedicated to turbine blades, the extension of the Querétaro workshop, and a project to acquire the American company Component Repair Technologies. These developments are designed to optimize the quality and speed of the services offered, thereby reducing device downtime.

Invest in human resources

To support this growth, Safran plans to recruit more than 4,000 people internationally. Nicolas Potier, Director of the Support and Services division at Safran Aircraft Engines, highlights the importance of the human aspect in this expansion. An ambitious training plan is put in place to ensure rapid and effective skills development for new employees, relying on local academic partnerships.

Commitment to a low carbon future

This entire expansion strategy is also aligned with Safran's commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of its activities. The internationalization of the MRO network brings maintenance services closer to end users, thereby reducing long-distance equipment movements and contributing to more sustainable aviation.

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This article explores Safran Aircraft Engines' ambitious investment plan which is deploying over €1 billion to strengthen its global MRO network in response to the increase in LEAP engines in the global airline fleet.

Source : Safran

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