Safran establishes its new carbon brake factory in France

 The French aerospace group Safran has chosen to set up its new aerospace carbon brake production plant in the Plaine de l’Ain Industrial Park (PIPA), the largest industrial park in the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region, located on the outskirts of Lyon, covering nearly 1,000 hectares, with 180 companies and 8,200 employees.

The production site will complement Safran Landing Systems’ existing global production facilities, which already include three plants in Villeurbanne (France), Walton (United States) and Sendayan (Malaysia). “With this new plant, we are strengthening our position as the world leader in carbon brakes and securing our ability to support our customers in a context of strong growth in air traffic. This facility in France was made possible thanks to the joint efforts of the French government, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, EDF, RTE and all the stakeholders, whom I would like to warmly thank,” said Olivier Andriès, CEO of Safran, who was recently appointed head of the French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS).

2030 target

The 30,000 m² factory represents an investment of more than €450 million for Safran, which estimates that around 100 highly qualified people will be needed to staff the site when it opens. It is currently scheduled to come into service in 2030.

The workforce is then expected to double in the long term. “Equipped with cutting-edge technologies and industrial resources specially developed for this project, the factory will be largely automated and will guarantee employees a working environment that meets the highest standards,” the group said in its press release.

This site should enable Safran to gradually increase its production of carbon brakes, reaching a 25% increase by 2037. Safran Landing Systems, the group’s entity specialising in landing and braking systems for aircraft, already equips 55% of commercial aircraft with more than 100 seats with its carbon brakes.

These brakes are more efficient and lighter than steel brakes and offer three times the endurance while allowing operators to reduce their fuel consumption.

As energy can account for up to 30% of the manufacturing cost of a carbon brake, the guarantee of secure access to carbon-free electricity at a stable and competitive price in the long term was a key factor in choosing this location for the new factory.

The factory will also be powered by biomethane. This will reduce its electricity and gas consumption by nearly 30% and its water consumption by 80%. In addition, the heat emitted by the carbon manufacturing process will be reused to supply a heating network. The production technologies designed for the plant will be partially deployed at other carbon brake sites for increasingly competitive and responsible production.


 

Photos: Safran