French aerospace major Safran upbeat on India
1
V RISHI KUMAR Hyderabad, January 21 French aerospace and defence major Safran is upbeat on In- dia as it executes a huge pipeline of orders across civil- ian, defence and space and plans to expand facilities and set up a new maintenance, re- pair and overhaul (MRO) unit. The €21 billion revenue company, which supplies its engines for Rafale fighter jets and LEAP family of engines for civil aviation, expects to step up sourcing to €200 million as its expands its supplier base across SMEs. Alexandre Ziegler, Senior Executive Vice President, In- ternational and Public Affairs, Safran Group, said, “I see India and France as strong partners and Safran, with its wide range of customers, is upbeat on the business prospects both for supply of engines in civilian aircraft and also for defence, including fighter jets and helicopters.” High expectations “We have over 600 commer- cial planes ying in India with our engines and have an or- der book of over 500 engines, which we expect to deliver over next few years. Though the aviation sector has been hit by the pandemic, we be- lieve that it will bounce back by 2022-23. Towards this, we have set up a manufacturing facility in Hyderabad and are considering setting up of a MRO facility in India,” he told Business Line. The MRO facility could entail an investment outlay of about €150 million. Ziegler said, “Safran has a presence in India of over 60 years in the core markets of aerospace and defense. It has a workforce off over 600 em- ployees in the country. While expanding Safran’s footprint in India, it is committed to the “Make in India” programme fostering the development of partnerships with a wide ar- ray of customers.” In February 2019, Safran had announced plans to set up a new plant in India near Hyderabad for the LEAP engines. During a visit to the Aero India Show, Philippe Petitcolin, Chief Executive Of- ficer of Safran, had outlined plans to make parts for the LEAP turbofan engine from CFM International. Production rate When in its cruise mode by 2023, the plant is expected to deliver 15,000 parts per year to support the LEAP’s sus- tained production rate. The new-generation LEAP entered service in 2016 and powers Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX commercial air- liners. The India plant is aimed at developing a global supply chain to support the fast- paced ramp-up in LEAP pro- duction. Safran had already an- nounced in 2018 the construc- tion of a Safran Electrical & Power factory to produce LEAP engines harnesses and Rafale fighter electrical wir- ing interconnections sys- tems. It is the largest provider in India for turbo-shaft en- gines for helicopters and powers 100 per cent of heli- copters manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Lim- ited. India is also the largest in- stalled base worldwide for Safran with more than 1,200 INS (Sigma family) in use and being the reference of Indian armed forces. Indian airforce The company is supporting the Indian airforce with the M53 engine which is integ- rated in the Mirage 2000 and now the M88 with is the en- gine of the Rafale fighter aircraft. “India is also a develop- ment hub for Safran. Cur- rently has 600 employees and plan to expand the employee base with the new cluster in Hyderabad,” he said. Executes a huge pipeline of orders; plans to expand facilities, set up a €150-m MRO unit French aerospace major Safran upbeat on India Alexandre Ziegler, Senior Executive VP International and Public Affairs, Safran Group
Transcript of French aerospace major Safran upbeat on India
V RISHI KUMARHyderabad, January 21
French aerospace and defencemajor Safran is upbeat on In-dia as it executes a hugepipeline of orders across civil-ian, defence and space andplans to expand facilities andset up a new maintenance, re-pair and overhaul (MRO) unit.
The €21 billion revenuecompany, which supplies itsengines for Rafale fi��ghter jetsand LEAP family of engines forcivil aviation, expects to stepup sourcing to €200 millionas its expands its supplierbase across SMEs.
Alexandre Ziegler, SeniorExecutive Vice President, In-
ternational and Public Aff��airs,Safran Group, said, “I see Indiaand France as strong partnersand Safran, with its widerange of customers, is upbeaton the business prospectsboth for supply of engines incivilian aircraft and also fordefence, including fi��ghter jetsand helicopters.”
High expectations“We have over 600 commer-cial planes fl��ying in India withour engines and have an or-der book of over 500 engines,which we expect to deliverover next few years. Thoughthe aviation sector has beenhit by the pandemic, we be-
lieve that it will bounce backby 2022-23. Towards this, wehave set up a manufacturingfacility in Hyderabad and areconsidering setting up of aMRO facility in India,” he toldBusiness Line. The MRO facilitycould entail an investmentoutlay of about €150 million.Ziegler said, “Safran has apresence in India of over 60
years in the core markets ofaerospace and defense. It hasa workforce off�� over 600 em-ployees in the country. Whileexpanding Safran’s footprintin India, it is committed to the“Make in India” programmefostering the development ofpartnerships with a wide ar-ray of customers.” In February2019, Safran had announcedplans to set up a new plant inIndia near Hyderabad for theLEAP engines. During a visit tothe Aero India Show, PhilippePetitcolin, Chief Executive Of-fi��cer of Safran, had outlinedplans to make parts for theLEAP turbofan engine fromCFM International.
Production rateWhen in its cruise mode by2023, the plant is expected to
deliver 15,000 parts per yearto support the LEAP’s sus-tained production rate. Thenew-generation LEAP enteredservice in 2016 and powersAirbus A320neo and Boeing737 MAX commercial air-liners.
The India plant is aimed atdeveloping a global supplychain to support the fast-paced ramp-up in LEAP pro-duction.
Safran had already an-nounced in 2018 the construc-tion of a Safran Electrical &Power factory to produceLEAP engines harnesses andRafale fi��ghter electrical wir-ing interconnections sys-tems. It is the largest providerin India for turbo-shaft en-gines for helicopters andpowers 100 per cent of heli-
copters manufactured byHindustan Aeronautics Lim-ited.
India is also the largest in-stalled base worldwide forSafran with more than 1,200INS (Sigma family) in use andbeing the reference of Indianarmed forces.
Indian airforceThe company is supportingthe Indian airforce with theM53 engine which is integ-rated in the Mirage 2000 andnow the M88 with is the en-gine of the Rafale fi��ghteraircraft.
“India is also a develop-ment hub for Safran. Cur-rently has 600 employees andplan to expand the employeebase with the new cluster inHyderabad,” he said.
Executes a huge pipeline of orders; plans toexpand facilities, set up a €150-m MRO unit
French aerospace major Safran upbeat on India
Alexandre Ziegler, SeniorExecutive VP International andPublic Affairs, Safran Group
