Aviation: Safran and Air France build new plant near Valenciennes

30 Jun 2016 | Front page, Investment

In the past, Safran and Air France-KLM have outsourced aircraft engine repairs to foreign suppliers. But now this component of the aviation industry is relocating to Northern France.

€20 investment, 250 jobs

Safran and Air-France KLM have joined forces to build an aircraft engine maintenance plant in Rosult, near Valenciennes. This €20 million investment in the region’s aviation sector is expected to create 200-250 jobs by 2020, with operations slated to start up in late 2017. The 5,000-sq m building will be sited on a parcel of land five times its size, leaving the door open for future expansion.

The advantages of Northern France

Safran and Air France-KLM had narrowed the choice of location to Northern France and Vendée, on the west coast of France, but the strengths of the Valenciennes site were compelling:

• strategic location
• efficient road infrastructure
• large labor pool
• qualified workers
• strong manufacturing culture
• available land

Source: La Voix du Nord