Safran Enhances its Jet Engine Nacelle Support Capabilities

Safran Nacelles has strengthened its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) expertise with the creation of an MRO Center of Excellence at the company's Pont-Audemer facility in France's Normandy region.

Expanding on the existing MRO industrial resources in Pont-Audemer's current facilities, this new Center of Excellence brings numerous advantages to customers that utilize and maintain the product line of jet engine nacelles produced by Safran Nacelles - which covers aircraft from business jets and regional airliners to the largest mainline jetliners.

The new Center of Excellence's responsibilities include: managing the global network of Safran Nacelles' MRO facilities; serving as the operational reference in terms of repair procedures and industrialization; overseeing the company's MRO-related research and technology activities; as well as advancing its overall competence in repair methods and engineering. The MRO Center of Excellence's expertise covers complete engine nacelle systems, including complex structural repairs, line replaceable units (LRUs), engine subassemblies, outlet guide vanes (OGV) and on-site support.

“This latest enhancement of our MRO capabilities provides benefits for customers through increased reactivity, greater technical proficiency, improved workflow and even stronger ties to the resources of Safran Nacelles as a world-leading nacelle manufacturer,” said CEO Jean-Paul Alary. “It also will improve our responsiveness as a provider of choice for maintenance, repair and overhaul services worldwide.”

The new MRO organization leverages Safran Nacelles’ expertise as an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) in being fully ready, anywhere in the world, to support the complete nacelle system it supplies for the Airbus A320neo jetliner.

With the creation of Safran Nacelles’ MRO Center of Excellence, Jean-Hugues Cousin has been named as Managing Director. He has the additional responsibility for leading the company’s global MRO network – which includes the Pont-Audemer facility, along with Safran Nacelles Services Americas in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; and the Dubai-based Aerostructures Middle East Services (AMES), a joint venture of Safran Nacelles and Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance.

Safran is a leading international high-technology group with three core businesses: Aerospace (propulsion and equipment), Defence and Security. Operating worldwide, the Group has 70,000 employees and generated sales of 17.4 billion euros in 2015. Safran is listed on Euronext Paris and is part of the CAC40 index, as well as the Euro Stoxx 50 European index.

Safran Nacelles is the world’s second leading supplier of aircraft engine nacelles, with more than 17,000 in service, logging over 100,000 flight-hours per day. It supplies nacelles and components for all segments of the aviation market, from business and regional jets to mainline commercial jets.