Press Releases & News

Chicago, January 29, 2010 (word count: 545)
With nearly €37 billion ($52 billion USD) in sales, and €2.4 billion  ($3.4 billion USD) in R&D spending, French aviation has long been a power player within the aerospace industry. Additionally, France’s aerospace subcontracting industry generates more than €10 billion in sales, provides jobs for 80,000 people and encompasses a broad range of specialized equipment manufacturing. However, given that 40 percent of Airbus A-380 components are produced in the United States, international collaboration is essential to the sector.

“France boasts a network of companies specializing in producing Europe’s leading aerospace equipment, thanks to the longstanding presence of Airbus and the recent creation of cooperative organizations, innovation clusters and alliances. This ability to pool expertise is a key factor in France’s appeal to foreign investors,” observes David Appia, Chairman and CEO of the Invest in France Agency.

Partnership Trends for Tomorrow’s Technology
Recent alliances forged between small to medium-sized companies (SMEs) in the aerospace subcontracting industry have resulted in a growing number of companies joining forces. At the most recent International Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, for example, SMEs such as Meca’Com, AeroTeam, Induxial and Ingéliance held a joint exhibition.

Technologies of the future are of vital importance to aerospace subcontracting. The aviation industry increasingly relies on composite materials, especially polymer materials used to develop new wing technologies for next-generation aircraft.  More companies are choosing to develop their latest technologies in France. The Japanese company Toray, for example, has opened Toray Films Europe, a new facility devoted to producing biaxially oriented polypropylene film previously manufactured in the United States. On October 1, 2009, the aerospace subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems, headquartered in the U.S., began constructing an assembly plant for composite components in Montoir-de-Bretagne, in the Loire-Atlantique département – an investment amounting to several tens of millions of euros.

Expanding Opportunities While Going Green
The sustainable development goals set for the air transportation sector under the Act of August 3, 2009 (“Grenelle I”), which specifies the measures to be implemented as a result of the French Environmental Round Table Talks (“Grenelle de l’environnement”), include reducing fuel consumption by 50% per passenger-kilometer, reducing carbon monoxide emissions by 80%, and halving noise pollution by the year 2020. The new technological challenges generated by these environmental requirements are expected to stimulate research and development.

Innovation Attracting Leaders from Around the Globe
Innovation clusters provide further advantages and make an important contribution towards aerospace research and development. 94,000 people, including 8,500 in research positions, work in Aerospace Valley (Aquitaine and Midi-Pyrénées regions) which is home to a large number of major international companies including EADS, Freescale Semiconductors, Goodrich, Honeywell, Rockwell Collins and Siemens. Companies in the ASTech Paris Région cluster (Ile-de-France) employ 100,000 people, accounting for the majority of R&D jobs in the French aerospace industry, and count major players among their number such as Dassault Aviation, Safran and Astrium. 35,000 people, 30% of whom are in research positions, work in the Pégase cluster (Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur region), which brings together more than 250 aerospace companies.

About Invest in France:
The Invest in France Agency (IFA) promotes and facilitates international investment in France. The IFA network operates worldwide. The IFA works in partnership with regional development agencies to offer international investors business opportunities and customized services all over France.

For more information, please contact:

INVEST IN FRANCE NORTH AMERICA
Amanda Hilson
810 Seventh Ave.
New York, NY 10019
Tel: (212) 757-9340
Fax: (212) 757-1568
E-mail: amanda.hilson@investinfrance.org
Web: www.investinfrance.org/northamerica

or:

FRENCH TECHNOLOGY PRESS OFFICE
205 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3740
Chicago, IL 60601
Tel.: (312) 327-5260
E-mail: contact.ftpo@ubifrance.fr

Chicago, November 6, 2009 (word count: 284)
CHENE is a service provider in the non-destructive testing (NDT) field, who is currently assessing the market potential in the U.S. and Canada. Founded in 1988, CHENE has developed a unique value proposal for companies who have NDT needs. It focuses on machining artificial defects on metal pieces then used as reference standard models for NDT. CHENE will be exhibiting at the SAE AeroTech Congress and Exhibition in Seattle, Wa., from Nov. 10 to 12, 2009, as part of the Aerospace France Pavilion, booth 513.

Such testing using ultrasonic, Eddy currents or other methods is carried out in many leading industries requiring a very high degree of reliability, which CHENE is able to provide through:

• A tailor-made service: The company works hand in hand with each customer to meet their specific needs and is able to adapt its machining to the most complex design.

• A unique know-how: using highly precise electrical discharge machining, CHENE is able to produce notches as narrow as 0.0008 inches and holes with a diameter as small as 0.0008 inches on all kinds of metal pieces.

• A valuable experience: CHENE has been operating in this specific field for 21 years and works with the major European players of such leading industries as aerospace, but also nuclear energy, and petroleum.

Within the aerospace industry, the company’s references include EADS, Dassault, Airbus, the Safran Group, Eurocopter, Rolls Royce, as well as suppliers of Bombardier.

CHENE currently operates in Europe, but is currently looking to expand its export activity on the North American market and has thus opened an office in Montreal, open since August 1, 2009, as well as a branch: CHENE Canada, Inc.

For more information, please contact:

CHENE CANADA INC.
Pascal Chene
1819 boulevard René Levesque Ouest
Montréal, QC H3H 2P5, Canada
Tel.: (514) 798-1584
E-mail: pchene@chenesa.com
Web: www.chenesa.com

Chicago, November 6, 2009 (word count: 222)
With more than 40 years of experience in precision machining, PMJ works in various sectors including aerospace, military and lasers. The company’s facilities and equipment give it a great flexibility for any type of manufacturing. PMJ’s organization enables it to optimize manufacturing lead time and to make quick changes when required by the customer. PMJ will be exhibiting at the SAE AeroTech Congress and Exhibition in Seattle, Wa., from Nov. 10 to 12, 2009, as part of the Aerospace France Pavilion, booth 513.

Its top-of-the-line equipment and the excellence of its employees ensure a high level of performance in quality, delivery and cost. PMJ is among the leaders in its field throughout France and Europe.

PMJ is experienced in the machining of all the following material: aluminum, stainless, brass, bronze, steel, titanium, Invar, plastics, Inconel, casting and forging.

For machining complex parts, PMJ work envelope for the turning centers is from Ø3 to Ø250 mm diameter (.12 to 10.00 inches). For machining centers, capacities are from 3 mm 800 x 400 x 300 mm (31.5 x 15.75 x 11.875 inches). Machining of prototypes to medium series and assemblies, is PMJ‘s forte.

Certification: Qualifas. Iso 9001 in progress. Traceability, accountability and guaranteed of work.

PMJ was created in 1963 and is located about 50 miles east of Paris.

For more information, please contact:

PMJ

Jacques Bossard
9, rue de Machefer
28300 Jouy FRANCE
Tel.: +33 2 37 22 25 37
E-mail: jbossard.sa@wanadoo.fr
Web: www.pmj-sas.com

or

FRENCH TECHNOLOGY PRESS OFFICE
205 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3740
Chicago, IL 60601
Fax: (312) 327-5261
E-mail: contact.ftpo@ubifrance.fr

Chicago, November 9, 2009 (word count: 282)
The Invest in Western France Agency is the official investment promotion agency for western France. The agency is sponsored by the area’s businesses and the regional and local authorities. Its mission is to attract foreign investments through the promotion and prospection of leading sectors. The agency will be exhibiting at the SAE AeroTech Congress and Exhibition in Seattle, Wa., from Nov. 10 to 12, 2009, as part of the Aerospace France Pavilion, booth 513.

The agency has two offices in France: in the cities of Nantes and Poitiers and has an office in Houston, Texas, and 20 employees in International Affairs, Business Development and Territorial Expertise.

Multilingual FDI (foreign direct investment) advisors accompany foreign investors throughout the study of their implementation project. The Invest in Western France Agency has 40 years of experience assisting more than 3,000 projects. Its services are totally confidential and free of charge (subsidized by the regions it covers).

References:
Spirit, Hexcel, Daher Aerospace, Duqueine Atlantic, Airbus Saint-Nazaire, Airbus Nantes.

Invest in Western France works on specific projects:

• Works with the client to create a preliminary report to define all the requirements of the project.
• Performs all the research including sector, available sites or buildings, incentives, partners, workforce, infrastructures and utilities.
• Delivers a single package for the specific project.
• Organizes the site and facilities visits for the client and accompanies them on the visit.
• Connects the client to local partners (businesses, authorities, clusters, development agencies).
• Accompanies the client throughout the set-up phases and consults them on incentives negotiations.
• Offers ongoing support for any extension or specific need (incentives, relocation) for the new site in western France.

For more information, please contact:

INVEST IN WESTERN FRANCE
Bruno Lescher
Novalis 2 – BP 30275
44818 Saint-Herblain FRANCE
Tel.: +33 6 0763 9600
E-mail: b.lescher@western-france.org
Web: www.western-france.org

or:

FRENCH TECHNOLOGY PRESS OFFICE
205 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3740
Chicago, IL 60601
Fax: (312) 327-5261
E-mail: contact.ftpo@ubifrance.fr

Chicago, November 9, 2009 (word count: 201)
CLUSTEXPORT is a group of companies highly specialized in the aerospace industry in the western part of France, the top region for composite products manufacturing and the No. 2 French region for the aerospace industry. The cluster will be exhibiting at the SAE AeroTech Congress and Exhibition in Seattle, Wa., from Nov. 10 to 12, 2009, as part of the Aerospace France Pavilion, booth 513.

The cluster’s companies and their activities:

AJILON Engineering: structure design, stress calculation, engineering of assembly line.

ALLIO SAS: conception and manufacturing of toolings for metal and composite parts;

ACE AERONAUTIQUE: manufacturing of precision mechanical parts, surface treatment, manufacturing of metal sheet parts, 3-D and non-destructive controls, integration on FAL (final assembly line).

CLUSTEXPORT is able to offer turnkey solutions to the main aircraft manufacturers and international main suppliers of aerospace industry.

The members of CLUSTEXPORT are suppliers of EADS Group, SAFRAN Group, LATECOERE, DAHER, AREVA, EUROCPOTER, CATIC, and HAL.

With more than 2,500 employees and the environment of a wide range of aerospace specialized companies, CLUSTEXPORT is also the international division of NEOPOLIA AEROSPACE CLUSTER gathering more than 40 companies of Nantes Saint-Nazaire area.

For more information, please contact:

CLUSTEXPORT
Jean-Bernard MANCEAU
ZI de la Croix Rouge
4, rue de l’Europe
44260 Malville FRANCE
Tel.: + 33 6 77 17 95 00
E-mail: clustexport@orange.fr

or:

FRENCH TECHNOLOGY PRESS OFFICE
205 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3740
Chicago, IL 60601
Fax: (312) 327-5261
E-mail: contact.ftpo@ubifrance.fr

Chicago, November 9, 2009 (word count: 208)
With over 30 years of experience in mechanical precision, GATTEFIN performs specialized machining in various sectors such as aerospace, military, defense, but also in nuclear and wind power. The company will be exhibiting at the SAE AeroTech Congress and Exhibition in Seattle, Wash., from Nov. 10 to 12, 2009, as part of the Aerospace France Pavilion, booth 513.

The company can perform 10-mm to 10-m numerically controlled manufacturing, milling, and turning on 3 to 6 axes. The work is done on prototypes, basic parts and on small, mid, and large series parts. GATTEFIN can work with every metal and alloy thanks to a strong expertise in several fields of activities.

GATTEFIN offers many complementary and diverse services on-site: studies, mechanical welding, bending, folding, shearing, straightening, conventional and numerical drilling, rectification planning, interior and exterior cylindrical fitting, assembly, painting, and installation.

Thanks to its self-efficiency, the company has a fast turn-around time and can competitive pricing, high quality and superior service to its clients. From studies to final assembling through full production, GATTEFIN SAS provides a finished product; this firm follows continual improvement approach based on AS EN 9100 quality standards. The company has a 10,000 m² facility and a staff of 100 employees.

For more information, please contact:

GATTEFIN SAS
Dominique Gattefin
201 avenue Raoul Aladenize
18500 Mehun sur Yevre FRANCE
Tel.: +33 6 08 66 89 22
Fax.: +33 2 48 57 46 92
E-mail: gattefin.direction@orange.fr
Web: www.gattefin.fr

or:

FRENCH TECHNOLOGY PRESS OFFICE
205 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3740
Chicago, IL 60601
Fax: (312) 327-5261
E-mail: contact.ftpo@ubifrance.fr

Chicago, November 9, 2009 (word count: 151)
Ateliers Maugars specializes in machining precision parts, as well as small and medium parts series assembly, for the aerospace, defense, food and nuclear industries. The company will be exhibiting at the SAE AeroTech Congress and Exhibition in Seattle, Wash., from Nov. 10 to 12, 2009, as part of the Aerospace France Pavilion, booth 513.

With more than a century’s experience, Maugars acts as a machining specialist for each customer, starting from the product design plans and following through to parts-testing and final assembly.

The group’s full service includes:

- Definition of plans
- Parts studies
- Design
- Machining
- Non-destructive controls and testing
- Surface and heat treatment
- Integration of assembly operations and sub-assemblies
- Logistics

It also supplies and works with many materials including light alloys, titanium, stainless steel, Inconel, refractory alloys and plastics and composites. Ateliers Maugars is certified ISO9001 and EN9100.

For more information, please contact:

ATELIERS MAUGARS
Brigitte Thuillier
225 boulevard Amiral Mouchez
76600 Le Havre FRANCE
Tel.: +33 02 35 24 64 05
E-mail: maugars_gest@yahoo.fr
Web: www.groupemaugars.fr

or:

FRENCH TECHNOLOGY PRESS OFFICE
205 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3740
Chicago, IL 60601
Fax: (312) 327-5261
E-mail: contact.ftpo@ubifrance.fr

Chicago, November 9, 2009 (word count: 236)
The mission of Opéra Ergonomie is to make companies safer and more profitable by applying human factors to work environments, products, interface design and ergonomics. Its role is to merge technology with the creation of usable software, hardware, and systems. It applies its expertise to ground control stations (GCS) of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). It analyzes the work of the end users, to realize a universal GCS.  Opéra Ergonomie will be exhibiting at the SAE AeroTech Congress and Exhibition in Seattle, Wash., from Nov. 10 to 12, 2009, as part of the Aerospace France Pavilion, booth 513.

Pilots are faced with critical tasks or crisis situations. The superior analysis of their environment needs to create a highly operational link between the machine and its pilot. Mastered interfaces are key to a safe and solid pilot-to-airplane relationship. Through behavioral research and a multi-discipline approach, Opéra Ergonomie’s highly qualified staff looks the specialized components of ergonomics including human factors, product engineering and the human-to-machine relationship to develop the best ergonomic solutions for many industries including aerospace, automotive, petroleum, logistics and more.

Opéra Ergonomie is a privately held user-experience and ergonomics consulting firm founded in 2003. Strategically located in southern France close to the aerospace PEGASE cluster and the Marseille Mediterranean Virtual Reality Center (Centre de réalité virtuelle de Marseille), the company boasts a great depth of experience in user research and user-centered design.

For more information, please contact:

OPERA ERGONOMIE
Jean-Alexis Tanchou – CEO
Espace Mistral Batiment A 23
Avenue Mistral
13600 La Ciotat FRANCE
Tel.: +33 4 91 35 43 85
E-mail: jean-alexis.tanchou@opera-ergonomie.com
Web: www.opera-ergonomie.com

or

FRENCH TECHNOLOGY PRESS OFFICE
205 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3740
Chicago, IL 60601
Fax: (312) 327-5261
E-mail: contact.ftpo@ubifrance.fr

Chicago, November 9, 2009 (word count: 291)
For more than 30 years, Assystem has become a worldwide leader in the field of Innovation Engineering and Consulting in Aerospace domains with its Assystem Aerospace Strategic Business Unit (SBU). Assystem Aerospace focuses on aircraft product development activities and delivers high-end engineering services to the most prestigious names of the aerospace industry. The SBU intervenes in each step of the development of an aircraft or a spacecraft: concept and specification, systems engineering, interiors, operations support, quality and maintenance, refurbishing and aircraft conversion, and consulting. The company will be exhibiting at the SAE AeroTech Congress and Exhibition in Seattle, Wash., from Nov. 10 to 12, 2009, as part of the Aerospace France Pavilion, booth 513.

One of Assystem’s most recent projects is the Airbus A350 program. It is currently working on integrating parts on the model’s junctions and center fuselage on three versions of the aircraft: A350-900, A350- 800, and A350-1000. In India, Assystem is handling 25% of the work package for the center fuselage integration on the A350. Assystem France is supporting SPIRIT US with a project on A350 center fuselage upper shell, performing stress tests including composite and metallic analysis and aiding in designing technical solutions with Catia V5. Lastly, Assystem is supporting Aerolia (subsidiary of EADS) by aiding with structural design and stress analysis for the A350 on the nose fuselage lower unit.

Assystem’s involvement in Dassault Aviation’s Falcon Jet series started in 2005, associated with the design, wiring and stress analysis of cabin interiors parts, from the final customer specification to the aircraft’s delivery. This included mechanical design, wiring and piping, and stress analysis for the entryway and main cabin, dedicated Assystem checking and technical project management, and productivity management to improve performance.

For more information, please contact:

ASSYSTEM
Alain Besnier
Sales and Marketing Manager
13 rue Marie Louise Dissard
BP 13015
31024 Toulouse Cedex FRANCE
Tel.: +33 5 34 39 61 98
E-mail: abesnier@assystem.com
Web: www.assystem.com

or:

FRENCH TECHNOLOGY PRESS OFFICE
205 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3740
Chicago, IL 60601
Fax: (312) 327-5261
E-mail: contact.ftpo@ubifrance.fr