French aerospace equipment manufacturer Safran Group has inaugurated a new assembly line as part of a 720-million-peso (US $35.4 million) plant extension project in the state of Querétaro on Wednesday.
This followed an October announcement of a new facility in the northern state of Chihuahua, expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
“This plant symbolizes our commitment to excellence and our mission to push the boundaries of talent and aerospace technology in Mexico,” said Philippe Errera, Safran Group’s Director of International and Institutional Relations. “Querétaro, with its talent and vision, has become a key partner, and Safran is proud to contribute to the development of this region, where ideas become reality.”
Mexico’s Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard, who attended the event, emphasized government support for Safran’s projects to ensure Mexico maintains a significant role in its operations.
The assembly line will support Safran’s increase in CFM LEAP production. The CFM LEAP is an engine used widely in Airbus aircraft. There are 8,500 LEAP units in operation worldwide and an order backlog exceeding 11,600 units, according to Safran.
Safran assembly director Jean-Francois Locufier said that the company has a goal of assembling 100 LEAP 1A engines at the facility by 2027.
The extension makes Querétaro the only final assembly site in Mexico for single-aisle commercial aircraft engines, alongside existing Safran facilities in France and the United States.
Safran Aircraft Engines Mexico (SAEM) spans a total 279,861 square feet of operational space and employs 650 people. The expansion adds 46,284 square feet of operational buildings and 91,493 square feet of logistics warehouses, supporting the creation of 150 jobs, according to Safran officials.
Querétaro is a hub for aerospace manufacturing in Mexico. As of 2022, it had received 50% of all foreign direct investment in the industry over the last decade and ranked as the world’s eighth most competitive region in the aeronautical sector.
“With this plant, Mexico will position itself among the few countries capable of covering the entire engine life cycle — from manufacturing parts and modules to final assembly, repair, maintenance, and engine testing,” said CEO of Safran Aircraft Engines Jean-Paul Alary at the Farnborough Airshow this past July.
The November inauguration followed an announcement in Oct. of a new facility to be built in Chihuahua this year. Safran System’s Plant 6 will manufacture evacuation products, slides and rescue equipment and is expected to open by the end of 2024.
“Safran is betting a lot on Mexico, for the simple fact that it is a completely strategic country, toward one of the largest consumers of aerospace products which is the United States and also a visibility to the Brazilian market,” said President of Safran Mexico Alejandro Cardona Seeman during the BJX Summit Aerospace 4.0 2024.
Safran, Mexico’s largest aerospace employer — known for providing the engines for the supersonic passenger aircraft the Concorde — has operated in Mexico for more than 34 years. It currently has 18 facilities in Chihuahua, Querétaro, Baja California and Mexico City, as well as over 14,000 employees in Mexico.
With reports from Aviacionline and Mexico Now
