Figeac Aero

Figeac Aero
Name	Figeac Aero
Founded	1989
Founder	Michel Fauré
Headquarters	Figeac, Lot
Industry	Aerospace industry
Products	Aircraft components, machining services
Num employees	6,000 (approx.)

Figeac Aero is a French aerospace manufacturer specializing in precision machining and assembly of structural aircraft components and engine components for civil and military aircrafts. The company supplies major original equipment manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing, Safran, and GE Aviation and participates in global supply chains alongside firms like Figeac Aero’s clients and competitors. It operates a network of industrial sites in France, Romania, Morocco, Mexico, and United States, and engages with institutional partners including DASSAULT Aviation and Arianespace.

History

Founded in 1989 by Michel Fauré in Figeac, the company grew from a family-owned subcontractor to an international tier-1 supplier during the expansion of the Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737 programs. In the 1990s and 2000s it expanded capacity to serve programs such as the Airbus A350 XWB and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and later diversified into engine-related work for CFM International and Rolls-Royce. The firm pursued internationalization with sites in Romania and Morocco in the 2010s and entered North American markets via Mexico and United States facilities. It navigated sectoral crises tied to events affecting Airbus and Boeing production rates, as well as supply-chain shocks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and global aviation industry downturns.

Products and Services

The company manufactures structural aircraft parts, precision machined parts, and assemblies for fuselage, wing, and aerostructure applications used on platforms such as Airbus A320neo family, Airbus A350 XWB, Boeing 737 MAX, and military types like the Dassault Rafale. Offerings include machining of aluminum, titanium, and composite interfaces, assembly and kitting services for OEM partners such as Safran, GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, and Honeywell Aerospace. It provides design-to-manufacture capabilities coordinated with systems integrators including Thales Group and UTC Aerospace Systems, and supplies parts for rotorcraft produced by Airbus Helicopters and Bell Textron.

Operations and Facilities

Industrial footprint encompasses production plants and logistic centers in regional hubs such as Figeac (France), Craiova (Romania), Marrakesh (Morocco), Querétaro (Mexico), and Little Rock, Arkansas (United States). Facilities host high-performance CNC machining cells, metrology laboratories, heat-treatment lines, and automated assembly lines compliant with standards applied by Airbus and Boeing. The group relies on industrial partnerships with suppliers in Occitanie and coordinates exports through regional ports and hubs linked to Toulouse–Blagnac Airport and Le Bourget Airport logistics flows. Workforce development includes apprenticeships with local institutions like Université de Toulouse and vocational networks tied to CNAM.

Financial Performance

Revenue historically correlated with production rates at Airbus and Boeing; growth phases accompanied major program ramp-ups such as the Airbus A320neo program. Results have shown sensitivity to macroeconomic shocks including the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic downturn in 2020, with recovery efforts tied to orderbooks from Airlines and defense procurement cycles. The company has used capital raises and banking arrangements with institutions like Banque Populaire and Crédit Agricole to finance expansion and working capital requirements. Public disclosures and market commentary by investment firms such as Goldman Sachs and BNP Paribas have tracked its margin exposure to commodity prices for aluminum and titanium.

Ownership and Corporate Governance

Originally family-owned by founder Michel Fauré and affiliated shareholders, ownership evolved through private equity involvement and minority stakes held by industrial investors and institutional banks. Governance structures include a board of directors with executives experienced in aerospace industry supply chains and members drawn from regional economic bodies such as Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Lot. Executive leadership has engaged with sectoral associations including GIFAS and participates in regional industrial policy discussions with authorities from Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

Research, Development and Innovation

R&D focuses on machining process optimization, additive-manufacturing integration, and lightweight aerostructure solutions in collaboration with research centers and universities such as CentraleSupélec, Université de Toulouse, and the CNRS. The company participates in collaborative projects funded under European programs like Horizon 2020 and partners with technology providers including Siemens (digitalization and automation), Dassault Systèmes (PLM), and Schneider Electric (industrial control). Innovation priorities include composite-metal interfaces for next-generation airframes, digital twin implementations, and advanced metrology aligned with standards from ISO and certification bodies such as EASA.

Environmental and Safety Practices

Environmental management includes waste reduction, energy-efficiency measures at plants, and initiatives to reduce emissions associated with machining and heat-treatment, coordinated with regional environmental agencies and standards such as ISO 14001. Occupational health and safety programs track OSHA-aligned practices in international sites and French labor regulations via INRS. The firm pursues supplier sustainability due diligence linked to conflict-free sourcing of titanium and aluminum, and engages in industry sustainability discussions alongside Airbus and IATA on decarbonization pathways and lifecycle assessment for aircraft components.

Category:Aerospace companies of France Category:Manufacturing companies of France