Magazine safranjune 2010 - no. 8 - Safran Group
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
safran
magazine junE 2010 – No. 8
the safran group magazine
special report
Southwest,
a visionary
winner
A continuous stream
of innovations by the
original low-cost carrier
p. 36 insight: SAFRAN TECHNOLOGY VS. CRIMINALS / p. 40 interview: nicolas baverez, economist
Contents
marchés Editorial
marchés
News breaks
Tomorrow
p. 04
p. 08 Single-minded
focus on
08 Electronics synergies
10 Towards “more electric” aircraft
Special report
Southwest, a visionary winner
The originator of the low-cost carrier model
continues to innovate
p. 12
customers
Panorama p. 18
Safran and the Airbus A400M
The new Airbus Military airlifter can handle
both tactical and strategic missions
Jean-Pierre Cojan
Executive VP,
Markets p. 22 Strategy and Development
22 Maximum airport security Safran
© Safran
26 Training, CFM’s competitive edge
28 Dreamliner landing gear
T
30 Sagem Industries evolves
32 FELIN, modernizing the French army
he world was a very different place in the 1970s… Who at the time
could have predicted the end of the Cold War, or the Chinese economic
boom? Or imagined that the Internet would turn a far-out science fic-
Insight p. 35 tion concept into a daily routine? The air transport industry was just
35 Riding the wave of success starting to carry people other than the jet-set, and Concorde was begin-
36 On the case with Safran ning revenue service. And yet, a few pioneers were making a radical
38 Snapshots of new hires break with the established order… and taking risks that would pay off.
Innovators in the aviation industry dared to invent the widebody jet and the
Interview p. 40 CFM56 turbofan engine – and customers who were just as audacious signed up for
the ride. For instance, Herb Kelleher invented the low-cost airline, despite gen-
Emerging from the crisis:
focus on industry eral indifference and even skepticism, and
Interview with Nicolas Baverez, “Safran invested some Southwest began to fly passengers between
dusty secondary airports in Texas. He also
economist and historian
300 million euros last kicked off a significant relationship with
year to modernize current CFM, one that’s still going strong over 30
Check out the latest plants” years later.
Five hundred other customers have
Safran group news at
www.safran-group.com
joined the CFM roster since then, won
over by this innovative new engine. And they have remained loyal because we
32 Markets continuously improve our product, pay attention to their changing needs, and offer
innovative solutions to reduce their costs. These are all imperatives for survival
The Safran Group magazine - 2, bd du
Général-Martial-Valin 75724 Paris Cedex
15 - France - Fax : +33 (0)1 40 60 85 01 - E-mail: safran.
FELIN IN in an industry that, like Southwest, has sought to reduce ticket prices for the last
three decades.
THE FIELD
magazine@safran.fr - Publication Director: Pascale Dubois -
Editorial Director: Christine Orfila - Executive Editor in Chief: Our survival in fact depends on our customers, on our ability to come up with
Florent Vilbert - Editor in Chief: Martin Bellet - Written by:
D. Baudier, M. Bellet, M. Détruy, P. François, A. Kovalenko,
innovative solutions to keep them satisfied in an ever-changing world. Since the
F. Lert, P. Michaud, A. Papeguay, G. Sequeira-Martins - seventies, the Internet has become an integral part of doing business, China has
Translation: Don Siegel, ID Communications - Production:
- Printed by: Imprimerie Vincent, certified Sagem’s FELIN solder modernization system, been transformed beyond all recognition and is in the process of becoming our
imprim’vert, on PEFC accredited paper - ISSN 1960-
7164 - The articles and illustrations published in a state-of-the-art equipment suite for infantry largest market – and that’s not all. Throughout Safran, in all our markets and all
our businesses, we must maintain a single-minded focus on our customers.
© Sagem
this magazine may not be reproduced without prior
authorization. Cover: © Southwest Airlines soldiers, is now operational.
02 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 03
News breaks
marchés
30
million flight-hours logged by
the Arriel turboshaft engine
since being launched in 1977,
illustrating its exceptional
3,200 CUSTOMER- robustness.
FOCUSED ENGINEERS
On March 1 Safran
group company
Teuchos merged with
the Engineering &
Technology division of
fellow Group company
wforum Labinal, creating Safran ©P
atric
Safran
Engineering Services. kP
enn
a/E
© Rémy Guillaumot/Safran
uro
The new entity covers cop
ter
Discovery
the entire system
development cycle in its
Days
four centers of expertise:
avionics and onboard
software; electrical
M
ore than 800 Safran group managers came together on March 30 and systems; aerostructures;
31 in Poitiers, central France, for the 5th Safran Discovery Days. This and mechanical systems.
two-day event was created to enable newly hired or promoted managers Although recent, some A NEW LOGO FOR SAFRAN wPATRONAGE
Solidarity
to discover Safran’s organization, markets, products and values, and to foster 60% of its business
pride in being part of the Safran group. Featuring both plenary sessions and a is already generated In May 2010 Safran unveiled its
with Haiti
special forum to introduce Group companies, Discovery Days offers an excellent by outside customers, new visual identity, largely based
opportunity for discussions with corporate management. Participants this year including EADS, on a new logo , shown to the right.
heard presentations by Jean-Dominique Giulani, president of the Robert Schuman Bombardier, Valéo and “Our new identity aims to bolster
S
foundation, and Jean-Hervé Lorenzi, president of the French association “Le cercle PSA Peugeot Citroën. Safran’s recognition and image afran sponsored its
des économistes”, on the major role to be played by innovation in the post-crisis Safran Engineering worldwide,” said CEO Jean-Paul Safran’s new visual identity sixth concert in the
economy. Bringing together employees from all Group companies and some 15 Services operates in Herteman. It reflects the Group’s will be gradually deployed on Seasons of Solidarity
countries, including Brazil, Australia, China and the United States, this event eight countries to ensure recent successes and its long- all media, including signs, series in March, given by the
clearly reflects the international scope and diversity of Safran. local support for all term strategy. In practice, the ads, publications, websites, Orchestra de l’Alliance at the
customers. change involves a new emblem, products, etc., over Gaveau concert hall in Paris. All
a modernized logo and the the coming months. ticket sales from the concert,
addition of a line describing totaling 38,125 euros, were
wBiometrics the Group’s three core donated to Fidesco, a French
Sleek architecture,
O
scar Niemeyer is one of the businesses. Group companies W MORE NGO that has operated in Haiti
world’s best-known architects. His will also benefit from the change. www.safran-group.com for a dozen years. Fidesco
maximum security
talents are clearly displayed in the participates in projects to
elegant lines of the Cidade Administrativa support development and help
de Belo Horizonte, the new high-tech local populations in the South.
building housing the administrative With receipts from the concert,
headquarters of the State of Minas wDrones Fidesco can built a grammar
Sperwers look East
Gerais in Brazil, inaugurated early this school for 500 children in Port-
year. Sagem Sécurité (Safran group) is a au-Prince, eventually creating
world leader in its own right, especially for more than 30 jobs.
I
identification solutions, and was chosen n February, Safran
last March to handle security installations welcomed Laïlim
for this new building. The Minas Gerais Iagmourovitch Berdyev,
administrative HQ will feature 300 latest- Defense Minister of
generation MorphoAccess 120 biometric Turkmenistan, to discuss
terminals to ensure secure access to a possible future sale of
the most critical building entrances, Sperwer tactical drones built
© Rémy Guillaumot/Safran
452
using fingerprint recognition technology. by group company Sagem.
Over 33,000 Safran terminals are These drones could shortly be
© Leo Drumond
already deployed in Brazil, confirming the assigned to border patrol duties patents published by
country’s confidence in Safran’s security for this Central Asian country. Safran in 2009, ranking
expertise. the Group No. 4 in France.
04 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 05
News breaks
marchés
wEXHIBITION
Safran spotlights technologies in Brussels
Composite fan blades, the FELIN integrated
equipment suite for soldier modernization
programs, a spaceborne mirror, laser gyros… these
© Stéphane de Bourgies/Abaca press
were just a few of the Safran technologies on
display for European members of parliament and
civil servants during a special exhibition organized
by the Group in Brussels on May 6. Entitled “From
Science to Solutions”, the exhibition allowed
visitors to discover some of the many innovative
© Gérard Vouillon/Safran
technologies developed by Safran. In particular,
Marc Ventre the Group spotlighted its role in many European
reelected Chairman research programs, including Openair, to reduce
Finger on the Fly: the future of Clean Sky aircraft engine noise, and Turbine, for systems
to protect European citizens’ personal biometric
of biometric recognition Marc Ventre, Safran Executive
Board Member, Aerospace
data. Above all, this day-long event was an
excellent opportunity to emphasize technology and
A conference was also organized that included Eric
Dautriat, Executive Director of Clean Sky, a Joint
For the last five years, Safran has recognized employees’ innovative Propulsion branch, has been innovation as engines of European competitiveness. Technology Initiative (JTI) that is Europe’s largest
ideas that contribute to Group performance. The Group’s Innovation reelected as Chairman of the The event closed with a presentation by Jean-Paul ever aeronautical research program, and professor
Competition is open to all employees and explores advances at all Governing Board of the European Herteman, CEO of Safran, concerning Europe’s Joachim Szodruch, head of the Advisory Council for
levels within Safran’s areas of expertise, to spotlight the creativity research program Clean Sky. The research policy in aerospace, defense and security. Aeronautical Research in Europe (ACARE).
and energy of its workforce. The Grand Prize this year went to the aim of this major research program
“Finger on the Fly” system developed by Sagem Sécurité. This is a very is to identify and develop the
promising biometric acquisition technology, capable of recognizing the breakthrough technologies needed
fingerprints from four fingers on a moving hand. It should considerably to make tomorrow’s air transport
speed up passenger traffic in airports, and further enhance the public’s more environmentally friendly.
The wings of history
general perception of biometric technologies. With a 1.6 billion euro budget over
W MORE
See the Safran Innovation Grand Prize award ceremony in the Media section of the
a period of seven years, Clean Sky
brings together European industry, Europe needs space!
Safran website: www.safran-group.com research centers and academia.
W MORE December 24, 1979. Christmas Eve that year was
www.cleansky.eu a landmark date in the conquest of space: the first
Ariane launcher, Ariane 1, lifted off successfully,
bringing Europe into the club of spacefaring
35,000 landings
nations. Today, Ariane is celebrating its 30th
anniversary, with the current version Ariane 5.
a day!
The Ariane program not only gives Europe
independent access to space, but is also the world
leader in commercial launch services. Ariane 4
Safran landing gear chalk up more than logged 116 launches in 15 years, while Ariane 5
35,000 landings a day on all types has recorded a success rate of 93.75%. Safran
of aircraft. These landing gear equip has been a partner in the Ariane program from
planes ranging from Airbus, Falcon, the outset. Today, working in partnership, Safran
Bombardier, Hawker-Beechcraft, ATR makes all propulsion systems for the launcher, as
and Embraer commercial and business well as the wiring harnesses and the gyros for the
aircraft, to fighters such as the Mirage guidance system. Preliminary studies on a next-
2000, Rafale, Eurofighter and FA/18, generation Ariane 6 are already under way. With
not to mention Eurocopter Dauphin, Safran’s outstanding products and technological
Puma and Tiger helicopters. expertise, it should be as successful as the
© Frédéric Lert/Safran
previous members of this family.
W MORE
See the Aircraft Equipment section in the Safran
© Arianespace
W MORE
website: www.safran-group.com www.happybirthday-ariane.eu
06 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 07
Tomorrow
marchés
ORGANIZATION centers of excellence: product development, w René Alliot
software development, production and MRO. distance between
Safran Electronics By consolidating areas that had previously been
divided between different Group companies,
this organization enables Safran Electronics to
Safran Electronics,
director of the
Production center of
plants was a real
handicap for
communications,
consolidates forces
excellence
expand its knowledge base, while also facilitat- so this consolidation
ing sharing of expertise between teams. The has greatly facilitated
Massy plant will complete most of the 104 contacts between
A year after being created, Safran Electronics is moving to newly renovated premises, where it development projects already under way at the our teams and
© DR
will deploy the human and material resources needed to meet emerging customer requirements. division, along with all electronic control unit management. Our
integration and testing. center of excellence
“Bringing together these broad areas of What was the major organization, which covers the production
expertise within a single plant will help develop challenge for your is more efficient of electronic control
technological emulation,” notes René Alliot, center of excellence than the traditional units for civil aircraft,
director of the Production center of excellence. in 2009? vertical model, as well as the
“It will also enable Safran Electronics to meet We had to consolidate enabling teams to fabrication of printed
two main objectives, namely to consolidate our teams from six work together circuit boards for all
strengths in electronics R&D, production and different group concurrently. We now Group companies.
repair; and to become the center of excellence facilities at Hispano- have a total of 600 We have also achieved
in electronic control units for the entire Safran Suiza, Messier- people working here. efficient management
group.” Bugatti and Sagem, of the entire supply
and bring together What are the chain, from
Gearing up for the future the different advantages of this purchasing to
Safran Electronics’ definitive move to the disciplines involved. consolidation? fabrication to
Massy site marks a major milestone for the We set up a matrix Before, the physical logistics.
Group’s expanded capabilities in this field. As
division head Jean-Michel Hillion said when
Right, a flying-probe
it was created, “Aviation is undergoing a real tester (with moving
transformation, as hydraulic systems gradually test heads) that
give way to electrical systems, controlled by checks the operation
power electronics and software.” of printed circuit
boards at the Sagem
By grouping its forces, Safran Electronics will Industries (Safran
be able to give its customers comprehensive group) plant.
solutions, whether calling on Group companies
or outside partners. Safran has all the cards
in hand needed to address upcoming develop-
ments in both aerospace and defense.
© Safran
Partnership with SIAEC
At the 2009 Paris Air Show, Safran and SIA Engineering Company Ltd.
C
(SIAEC), a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, announced the merger
reated in early 2009, the Safran Elec-
tronics division allows the Group to
consolidate all of its capabilities in
bly and final testing of electronic control units
(ECU), and Massy Ampère for maintenance,
repair and overhaul (MRO) in the Europe zone.
600
employees are now
of their electronics repair activities within the joint venture Safran
Electronics Asia Pte Ltd., to provide repair and other support services
for avionics. “By pooling our repair resources, we can reduce costs
© Jean-François Damois/Creative Center
onboard electronics and safety-crit- grouped at a single and improve efficiency and quality, while also accelerating our
Safran Electronics
ical software. The division is headed Fostering synergies site in Massy, near
development,” says Franck Scherer, head of the MRO business
by Jean-Michel Hillion, and has operations in Safran Electronics provides Group companies Paris. and chief operating officer of the joint venture. “This enables us
the United States, Canada and Singapore, in with the electronic control units, printed cir- to provide support services for all electronic products made by
addition to its main plant in the Paris suburb cuit boards and software needed for their sys- the Group, as well as electronic control units by many other
of Massy, with three buildings housing over 600 tems and equipment. It is primarily organized manufacturers, not just for Singapore Airlines, but also for
employees: Massy Atlantis for the development around two operational departments (Cus- other customers in the Asia-Pacific.”
and R&T teams, Massy Carnot for the assem- tomer programs, R&T programs), and four
08 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 09
Tomorrow
marchés
ELECTRONICS especially for the engines, landing gear, flight con- w Hervé Morel
trols and energy management. as SIO, for silicon on
More electric At the same time, SPEC experts are forming part-
nerships with manufacturers in Europe, to meet three
main objectives: benefit from research in the most
National Institute of
Applied Sciences,
Lyon (France),
insulator, already
widely used in the
aerospace and
aircraft, to SPEC
research director,
advanced sectors, identify partners able to produce member of the SPEC automotive sectors.
the required components, and perform tests. Car- network It should help us
ried out in close collaboration with European pro- develop stable
To meet the challenge of developing “more electric” aircraft, Safran is pooling its strengths grams such as Joint Technology Initiatives (JTI), this control circuit
© DR
in the Safran Power Electronics Center, or SPEC, which also calls on outside expertise. approach has breathed new life into Copper Bird (see prototypes more
box), the test rig dedicated to the integration and quickly. The first
characterization of aircraft electrical networks. What’s the aim using to meet systems of this type
of your research? this goal? could be flying
Multidisciplinary We’re working on We’ve already towards 2015.
Over the last year, SPEC has also formed ties high-temp power developed silicon
with Safran’s purchasing, marketing and mar- electronics, high carbide-based Are there a lot of
ket intelligence departments, to plan ahead for operating voltages components capable players in this
future developments. “Buyers help us quickly and energy of functioning several sector?
contact suppliers and evaluate the risks inher- management in hours at a temperature A number of
ent in the different solutions we are develop- integrated circuits. of 300°C. Eventually, manufacturers are in
ing,” explains Régis Meuret. “At the same time, Our research will be we hope to use these fact interested, and
they track emerging technologies.” used to help replace materials to form the many European
Thanks to the marketing efforts by R&T the hydraulic systems core of power research programs
teams, SPEC hopes to make aircraft manu- and controls used in electronics. Since focus on this area.
facturers more aware of its solutions, so that aircraft engines silicon carbide is both A market for high-
they will be incorporated in development road and brakes. difficult and costly to temp components
maps. The marketing intelligence teams are a use, we’re also is emerging, because
sort of radar. As Meuret says: “They help us What kind of working on a they could be used in
know where our competitors stand, and can materials are you technology known multiple sectors.
indicate new paths to follow, which allows the
management committee to make timely deci-
sions.” In fact, timeliness is one of the keys to
this trend. The first company to offer the best
solutions will have a clear head start in estab- 27 190 12
© Tino
lishing its market domination. doctoral theses at participants at the demonstrators
Safran on “more SPEC symposium in shown at the last
A
* Aircelle, Hispano-Suiza, Labinal, Messier-Bugatti, Messier- electric” aircraft November 2009. SPEC symposium.
ir transport faces two daunting chal- ics in the jet engine environment. These were Dowty, Sagem, Snecma, Snecma Propulsion Solide, Techno- technologies.
lenges today, namely rising oil prices further broken down into 15 flagship initiatives. fan, Techspace Aero and Turbomeca.
and environmental constraints. One Over the course of its research work, and during
of the solutions chosen by industry is its biannual symposiums – the fourth is slated for
the “more electric” aircraft, in which November 2011 – SPEC established relations with Copper Bird, a test rig for Europe life into this test rig. Upgraded to simulate the
electrically-driven systems replace the hydraulic or the worlds of academia and research, starting with entire electrical network architecture on smaller
pneumatic systems traditionally used. This ambi- the French scientific research agency CNRS, then Europe initiated a major aeronautical R&D aircraft (business and regional aircraft,
tious project demands a transformation in our research labs in Switzerland, Germany and North program in 2002, called the Power Optimized helicopters), Copper Bird now hosts teams from
conception of these systems, as well as their con- America. Today, it is actively involved in over 20 Aircraft, or POA. As part of this program, Group throughout Europe, including EADS-Casa from
stituent components. “Safran created the SPEC partnerships. company Hispano-Suiza built Europe’s first Spain, AgustaWestland and Alenia from Italy,
center of expertise in 2004 to enhance our overall HVDC (high-voltage direct-current) electrical the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft research
efficiency,” says Régis Meuret, head of the center. SPEC under test system integration test rig, dubbed Copper organization from Germany and Dassault and
Bringing together experts from eleven Safran While these technologies will be nurtured and Bird, at its plant in Colombes, near Paris. For Eurocopter from France. “Copper Bird played a
group companies*, SPEC immediately identified developed through SPEC, a Safran program dubbed the next two years program partners took turns pivotal role in establishing Safran’s credibility
five major areas of research: electrical networks, Amperes, French for “more electric modular aircraft”, checking out prototypes of their newly for the development of ‘more electric’ aircraft,”
power electronics cooling and environment, power will demonstrate their maturity. Amperes is a Group- developed electrical equipment. In 2008, the says Jean-Jacques Charrier, head of R&T and
components and converter design, electrical drive wide initiative designed to optimize architectures and vast Clean Sky research program breathed new Strategy at Hispano-Suiza.
architectures, and integration of power electron- integrate innovative solutions in tomorrow’s aircraft,
10 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 11
Special report
marchés
Southwest
a visionary
winner
The originator of the low-cost
carrier concept continues to
innovate to ensure top-flight
customer service. Southwest counts
on flawless support from suppliers
to deliver its inimitable service.
35,000 99 1,146
© Chiaki Kawajiri/The Examiner
employees at Southwest million dollars net CFM56 engines
Airlines. profit in 2009. in service with
Southwest.
12 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 13
Special report
marchés
PROFILE cities to reduce fees; and a single-make fleet, so
that pilots and crews could fly any aircraft with- Duel in the sky
Southwest continues to out a second thought. The ultimate expression
of this approach was a constant emphasis on
maximizing aircraft utilization rates, with turn-
Southwest founder Herb Kelleher arm-
wrestling a rival for the right to use the
advertising slogan, “Just Plane Smart”.
shape the low-cost model
The real winner of the battle will be local
around time between flights of no more than a charities.
half-hour!
The world’s first discount airline, or low-cost carrier in industry jargon, Southwest Airlines was Fun… but efficient
founded in Dallas, Texas. Betting on innovative solutions right from the outset, Southwest And this formula has worked very well indeed.
Except for an odd quarter here and there, South-
continues to prosper thanks to a very solid business model and an offbeat corporate culture. west has always turned a profit. Today, the air-
line carries some 96 million passengers a year.
And despite occasional bumps in the economy,
the company has never laid off a single employee
in its 39 years of existence. “Most of our employ-
ees are unionized, and they’re very productive,”
© Southwest Airlines
notes Mike Van de Ven. “We talk with them a
lot, and they receive a share of the profits.” This
reflects the watchword that you hear throughout
the company: “If you treat your employees right,
then they treat your customers right. And if you
treat your customers right, then they keep com-
ing back, and shareholders are happy.”
Southwest enjoys such a sterling reputation
that last year it received 90,000 job applications. “Boeing made a risky bet at
Ginger Hardage, Vice President for Communi-
cations, gives candidates some very sage advice:
the time, by financing what
“Don’t take yourself too seriously!” In fact, at last was then only a raw startup”
year’s office Halloween party, she came dressed
as a space monkey. The company wants to give Mike Van de Ven, Executive Vice President
its customers an unforgettable experience, and and Chief Operating Officer at Southwest
humor is a large part of the mix. So it’s hardly
surprising to hear a flight attendant rap his …
n
© An
© Southwest Airlines
HQ or Museum?
When it’s time for a coffee break or lunch, the 3,000 employees at
Southwest’s headquarters in Dallas can take advantage of their free
F
time to go to a museum – after all, it’s their own building! Each corner
Southwest flight rom the huge bay windows in the com- “Boeing made a risky bet at the time, by and each corridor of the huge white building in fact retraces the history
crews, from the pany cafeteria at Southwest Airlines financing what was then only a raw startup,” of the airline, in detail. In the lobby, models of Boeing 737s decorated in
1970s to the 2000s.
headquarters in Dallas, you get an unre- says Mike Van de Ven, Executive Vice President Southwest’s successive color schemes seem to take flight. Upstairs,
stricted view of the runways at Love Field. and Chief Operating Officer at Southwest. But each wall harbors its share of discoveries: press clippings, ads, photos
Brightly-colored Boeing 737 twinjets, the it turned out to be a winning bet. The original of company parties, flight attendant graduating classes, or a gigantic
airline’s iconic symbol, take off and land in a never- idea was to offer fares so low that travelers would fresco celebrating the feats of co-founder Herb Kelleher. It’s also an
ending aerial ballet. It’s from this small airport in take a plane instead of their car. For this con- opportunity to try the seats used on the airline’s first planes, or to
northwest Dallas that the first 18 flights offered by cept to be profitable, however, costs had to be check out the uniforms worn by flight attendants over the past thirty
Southwest departed in 1971. They were headed for cut to the bone, and efficiency had to be at fever
© Southwest Airlines
years – from a strict suit, to orange hot pants with knee-high boots! On
San Antonio and Houston, the Texas “golden tri- pitch. Among the innovations were no in-flight the ground floor, you can follow the flight of each aircraft on a plasma
angle” that the founding fathers, Rollin King and service (although passengers are given free pea- screen in real time, right next to one of the early flight schedules that
Herb Kelleher, had drawn on a paper cocktail nap- nuts); direct ticket sales, without intermediar- were regularly updated – by hand!
kin while enjoying a drink – or so legend has it. ies; service solely to secondary airports in major
14 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 15
Special report
marchés
charge an extra fee for checked luggage. And PROPULSION
it will soon offer satellite WiFi connections on
its planes. Its community of passengers will be
the first to know when this service goes online,
whether through the blog Nuts About South-
The CFM label, a guarantee
of performance
© Southwest Airlines
west, on Twitter or on Facebook.
and reliability
Southwest Airlines at a glance
• More than 3,100 flights per day
217
… safety instructions at the beginning of the • All-Boeing 737 fleet, totaling 537 aircraft
flight [the video was a global online hit], or see • 1,146 CFM56-3 and -7B engines, Southwest Airlines is CFM International’s largest commercial customer. The two companies have built
employees giving each other hugs all the time or 5.5% of the total CFM56 fleet a solid relationship that continues to grow even stronger with time, says Eric Bachelet, CEO of CFM.
flights per day to
Las Vegas, the at headquarters, or that the boss, when accused • 68 destinations
O
leading Southwest of plagiarism by a competitor, suggested an arm- • Each aircraft flies an average
destination. wrestling contest rather than a lawsuit. of 11 hours and 54 minutes/day ver the last three decades, CFM
To make each trip a pleasure, Southwest is • 1,164 married couples at Southwest International, a 50/50 joint com-
the only low-cost carrier in the US that doesn’t pany of Safran and GE, has provided
Southwest Airlines with increasingly
high-performance engines. “In the
service early 1980s, CFM hit the market with a turbofan
whose design and performance revolutionized the
Maintenance, state-of-the-art,” recounts Eric Bachelet, President
and CEO of CFM International. “The CFM56-3
we offered to reengine the Boeing 737 not only
a business delivered unprecedented reliability, but also fuel
consumption a full 20 percent lower than the
engine it replaced, and a significant reduction
© Ann/PatPatProd
for pros in noise. What is remarkable is that CFM was
barely known at the time, since we had very lim-
ited experience in the civil aviation market. And
In June 2009, Southwest Airlines chose Safran as one of its yet, Southwest and Boeing jointly decided to bet
two providers of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) on our engine!” will be as innovative as the CFM56 was at its
introduction. The LEAP-X engine, already chosen
services for the landing gear on the 328 Boeing Next- Quick turnaround by Chinese planemaker Comac, could also make a
Generation 737 twinjets making up a large part of its fleet. Thirty years later, Southwest’s Next Generation perfect fit with Southwest’s requirements.
T
Boeing 737 twinjets are powered by the latest
he relationship between Messier Services, member of the CFM family, the CFM56-7B TI w Gary Kelly
a Safran group company, and Southwest (Tech Insertion), offering even lower fuel con- relationship between
Airlines, didn’t just spring up overnight. sumption and emissions. In addition to their per- Southwest Airlines, CFM and Southwest.
“A few years ago, we were already provid- formance, these engines offer proven dispatch reli- CEO In a nutshell, friendly,
© Messier Services
ing maintenance services for the landing Final inspection of a ability – a critical advantage for a low-cost carrier, strategic, and based
Boeing 737 landing
gear on their Boeing 737s at our facility in Virginia,” gear leg before it
whose planes have to get back in the air as soon on mutual trust.
© Southwest Airlines
notes Ian Longstreth, Vice President, Sales & Mar- goes back to the as possible after each landing. “We have a Dallas-
keting at Messier Services Americas. “After this site customer. based team that focuses on the Southwest fleet,” What does
was shut down, we continued to keep Southwest says Eric Bachelet. “And we keep our ears tuned to Southwest expect in
informed of the deployment of our new facility in not produced by Safran. “We’re very proud to rise to our customer, whether it concerns their engines’ terms of new engine
Mexico. When the airline issued a request for propos- this challenge,” says Longstreth, “all the more so since operational performance, maintenance, or, more offerings?
als for its Next-Generation 737s, we invited them to we’re going to work with an American airline that has strategically, the fleet’s evolving requirements.” How does the CFM56 all our airplanes, We’re keeping
visit our plant in Querétaro. They were immediately one of the largest Boeing fleets in the world! South- All CFM engines deployed by Southwest have fit into Southwest’s which considerably a very close eye
interested, and we subsequently won the contract.” west wanted a partnership that was both open and earned the TRUEngine label, concrete proof of operations? simplifies on the proposals
Messier Services Americas set up a team in Queré- productive, and based on teamwork – and we met all their compliance with CFM recommendations. Southwest placed its maintenance made by CFM,
taro to implement the processes and technologies these conditions!” Southwest thus ensures their value, and enjoys a trust in the CFM56 operations. in order to follow
needed for certification by the FAA (Federal Avia- guarantee of top-quality maintenance, repair and right from the start. our business plan and
tion Administration) of the United States. The ini- w More overhaul (MRO) services. Today, it’s still the sole How would you make it even more
For Southwest’s view of this partnership,
tial three-year contract, with a renewal option, is the see the Media section on Safran’s website: www. CFM has launched the development of a new- engine type used on describe the efficient.
first won by Messier Services Americas for equipment safran-group.com generation engine, dubbed the LEAP-X, which
16 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 17
Panorama
marchés
SAFRAN AND THE
AIRBUS A400M
The new airlifter by Airbus Military
is designed to handle both tactical
© S. Ramadier/Airbus Opérations SAS
and strategic missions.
18 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 19Panorama
marchés
Versatile
and responsive
Europe’s new military transport aircraft,
the Airbus A400M, made its first flight
on December 11, 2009. Fourteen
companies in the Safran group are
contributing to this new airlifter,
especially for its TP400 turboprop
© Jean-François Damois/Creative Center
engine being produced by the Europrop
International consortium. Capable of
short takeoffs from unprepared
airfields, and certified to fly in civilian
airspace, the A400M is a very versatile
aircraft. It is also a high-capacity
airlifter, capable of carrying 37 metric
2 tons of freight, or 116 troops, or two
© Nathalie Lankry/Labinal
Tiger helicopters – giving it a pivotal
future role in the armed forces of the
eight countries that have ordered the
© Airbus
A400M to date.
1
5
© Jean-Christophe Moreau/Creative Center
3
1. Cockpit Four of these engines will power
Group company Sagem designs each A400M.
and produces the GPS Air Data
Inertial Reference System 4. FADEC
(GADIRS), a major part of the Bench test of a FADEC 3 full
A400M’s navigation system. authority digital engine control for
the TP400, at Group company
2. Landing system Hispano-Suiza’s Villaroche plant
This photo shows the airplane’s near Paris.
main landing gear under test
at Group company Messier- 5. Wiring
Dowty, in Vélizy, near Paris. Wiring bundles for the A400M’s
© Hervé Thouroude/Hispano-Suiza
Safran also supplies the wheels nose are produced at Group
and carbon brakes on company Labinal’s plant in Villemur,
the A400M. southern France.
© Airbus Military
3. TP400 under test 6. Multirole
The huge TP400 turboprop on In addition to its military role, the
Snecma’s open-air test cell A400M is also designed for a wide
4 in Istres, southwest France. range of humanitarian missions. 6
20 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 21Markets
marchés
TRANSPORT
Now boarding, with
maximum security
Safran’s R&D teams are working to improve air travel security
without slowing its growth due to long ID checks.
© Sagem Sécurité
A
irport security measures are evolv- One leading solution is the biometric gate, pany is ITMS, or ion trap mobile spectrometry, The SmartGate
ing in line with emerging threats. which groups different types of controls. Sev- which can simultaneously identify explosives and system at airports
in Australia and New
“Today, we must cope with a funda- eral countries are already using this technology, illicit substances via the analysis of positive and Zealand, based on
mental change,” says Philippe Lemar- including Britain, where Safran has installed a negative ions. Systems based on nuclear quad- facial recognition
quand, head of strategy at Sagem system based on iris recognition, and Australia, rupole resonance can identify suspect materi- technology, won the
“Janus de l’industrie”
Sécurité, a Safran group company. In fact, this with a system that compares passengers’ faces als on or in the body, without any health risks. prize in 2009 from
is a two-pronged challenge: namely, to enhance to photos in their e-passports. In France, auto- Developed by Morpho Detection, this system can the French Design
the quality of passenger checks, without slowing mated checks of this type were tested starting detect the presence of explosives in a shoe, for Institute.
down the pace. Airports already involve a num- back in June 2005 at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle instance – without even asking the passenger to
ber of controls, from check-in, to passport and airport near Paris, under the code name Pégase. remove it!
ID control, to baggage inspection. According to At the end of 2009, a new system called Parafes Special attention is paid to checked luggage,
Lemarquand, “We need to take a comprehensive (the French acronym for “fast automated cross- and tomography-based systems have proved to be
approach, improving both security and passenger ing of Schengen borders”) took over at the the most effective in this case. “This technology
flows at the same time.” national level. “The gate automatically performs is already largely deployed in the United States,”
three checks,” explains program director Francis
Weiss. “First, biometric, by comparing the pas-
senger’s fingerprints with those recorded on the
says Yotam Margalit, explosives detection system
manager at Morpho Detection, “and we recently
raised the bar with new-generation detectors
15
biometric gates set
Tomography is used up at Roissy-Charles
to reconstruct a 3D
passport; then making sure that nobody else is such as the CTX 9800 and CTX 5800, giving us
de Gaulle and Orly
image of an object by present in the gate at the same time, and finally unprecedented 3D image quality.” By combining airports in Paris since
scanning the object checking a ‘red list’ for wanted persons.” The this technology with XRD, Morpho Detection late 2009.
in “layers” from the time needed to check passengers in this way is can offer highly reliable automated inspection
outside. For instance,
a system of this type sharply reduced versus the usual long waiting systems, with very few false alarms. The latest
can show a 3D image lines, and Safran’s system has won over thou- country to acquire this technology is Israel, in
of the contents of
a suitcase to see
if it contains any
sands of travelers. February 2010. Air travel has never looked so
safe! 15,000
explosive devices. Inspecting luggage and objects people have already
Checking passenger luggage is just as effective. w See explanations on following page registered to use them.
Since an attempted terrorist attack at Heathrow
airport in 2006, carrying liquids or gels in con-
tainers larger than 100 milliliters is prohibited
in the cabin. This is a real restriction for both Guaranteed ID at your fingertips
passengers and duty free stores, one which should Safran carries out very active research on biometric recognition
be removed in 2013. “Group company Morpho technologies. In March 2009, the Group teamed up with Hitachi to
Detection has already marketed a system dubbed develop a multimode recognition module, combining Hitachi’s
XRD, for X-ray diffraction, which identifies the expertise in vein pattern imagery with Sagem Sécurité’s expertise in
chemical signature of materials inside luggage, fingerprint data processing. The combination of these technologies
and thus effectively identifies different threats, will provide a system offering the world’s best fingerprint recognition
ion
ct
such as explosives,” notes Philippe Lemarquand.
te
technology and security.
De
Another candidate technology used by the com-
o
ph
or
M
©
22 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 23Markets
marchés
Trace detection
With strengthened ID
Several Safran technologies are used to detect
checks and the service traces of explosives or illicit substances, such
entry of super-jumbo as drugs, on the person, their clothes, or in their
luggage. Detection may be based on measurements
jets carrying up to 700 of positive and negative ions (Itemiser) or vapor
passengers, airports collected in the immediate vicinity of the product
may become more of a (VaporTracer). Analysis takes only about ten
seconds.
bottleneck than ever.
To cope with this trend,
we will have to rely on
high-tech automated
systems. Here are some
of Safran’s solutions
already in service
worldwide.
Registration
Passengers first register their
biometric data in a passport or
dedicated e-ID card, in a special
room at the airport, or their
local city hall. Safran already
provides the biometric data
registration systems for French
passports. Explosive
detection
Certified by the U.S.
Transportation Security
Administration (TSA),
computer-aided
tomography is a new family
of products that perfectly
Border crossings meets the security
needs of airports, with
Passengers come to a control gate with unrivaled image quality
their carry-on bags. The door opens and quickness. Set up
and the passenger enters. The system as stand-along units, or
compares the person’s fingerprint, iris or integrated in the airport’s
face to the data recorded in the passport luggage handling system,
or e-card. Using a combination of cameras these CTX systems can
and sensors located in the floor, the gate now handle up to 800
ensures that the person is alone. It also suitcases per hour
checks whether the person is already on a (CTX 9400, certified
“red list”. Once the checks are completed and in use in the United
the second door opens. Elapsed time: 20 States).
to 25 seconds.
© Antoine Dagan
24 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 25Markets
marchés
expertise w Tang Qingru the time needed for
flight line maintenance
CFM: jet-propelled training
CFM, instructor,
training to only five
Chengdu, China
days, instead of eight
previously. Our
With the opening of a training customers also want
center in India, CFM is expanding special courses on
troubleshooting. Since
its capabilities in Asia. Ongoing we’re seeing ongoing
© DR
training is essential for technical growth in this type of
crews, and allows airlines to make demand, we are now
maximum use of their engines. How would you benchmark in our field. designing an
summarize the We are seeing a appropriate training
center’s operations growing number of course, which we plan
C
to date? people from to launch this year.
FM International, the equal joint Since opening in Southeast Asian I also want to
venture of Safran and General Elec- 1994, we’ve already countries, including emphasize that the
tric, opened its fourth training center provided training for South Korea, Mongolia quality of our services
last March, in Hyderabad, India. It more than 8,000 and Singapore. extends beyond the
joins similar facilities in Cincinnati, people. In 2009 alone, CFM56. For instance
Ohio (United States), Montereau, France, and the center welcomed Have you seen any we were recently
Chengdu, China. Capable of providing train- 700 to 800 changes in the kinds contacted by
ing for 500 students a year, Hyderabad will train mechanics and of training Turbomeca (Safran
Indian mechanics and engineers, to support engineers. And this requested? group), who wanted to
operations in a country where some 320 CFM56 figure is growing I have taught CFM56- take advantage of our
engines are already in service, as well as in the steadily, because 3 and -7 maintenance facilities to provide
Middle East, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philip- Chengdu is now for almost a dozen helicopter engine
pines and other neighboring regions. CFM will recognized as a years. We’ve reduced maintenance training.
invest $15 million in this center over the next
ten years.
According to Daniel Burton, head of cus-
tomer training at Snecma (Safran group), and 20,000
© Snecma
President of the CFM subsidiary in India, this CFM56 engines
is a very timely investment. “India’s air traffic is sold worldwide.
set for strong growth over the next fifteen years,
and we are planning ahead to meet these needs.”
Local service
The latest CFM
training center, in
Hyderabad, India,
manager Pascal Rétif explains: “In the shop, stu-
dents work on actual engines, and we can also
call on a complete history of incidents experi-
that takes on increasing importance with the
years. As Olivier Laroche says: “Through our
training courses, we build customer loyalty. Pro-
60
different courses
opened in March provided by CFM.
Setting up a CFM training center closer to cus- 2010. enced by planes in service. That allows us to viding a concrete demonstration of the quality
tomers facilitates their access to these services, tailor our courses to address actual requirements of our training can give us an edge when airlines
while also reducing costs for both customers and
CFM. Olivier Laroche, head of the Chengdu
training center, believes that opening this facil-
in the field.”
Trained to anticipate
make engine decisions on new aircraft.”
Although rarely in the spotlight, CFM train-
ing centers nonetheless play an important role
2,800
students trained each
ity enabled the company to meet significant Mechanics trained in CFM centers are capable in building a distinctive brand image, by allow- year by CFM.
demand from Chinese airlines, and improve of better anticipating system aging and keep- ing each engine to deliver maximum service
the flight safety of CFM56 engines deployed in ing engines “on wing”. A decision to remove an as long as possible. The many mechanics who
China. The Chengdu center trained nearly 600 engine for servicing is often due to uncertainty will soon be graduating from the new training
mechanics in the first year after it opened in about component condition, and may not be jus- center in Hyderabad will soon be living proof
1997. The Civil Aviation Authority of China tified – but it’s always expensive! “Well trained of this.
(CAAC) was very satisfied with this initiative, mechanics guarantee maximum dispatch reli-
© Philippe Stroppa/Safran
since few Chinese mechanics were traveling to ability for the airline, which means optimum
the CFM centers in Montereau or Cincinnati profitability,” points out Pascal Rétif.
w More
for in-service training. Like its older brothers, While the CFM training centers help con- Info on the new Hyderabad training center in the
Hyderabad will expand the scope of hands-on solidate these engines’ reputation for excellence, Media section on Safran’s website: Hands-on training at
training offered by CFM, as Montereau general they also support the development of a network www.safran-group.com Montereau in France.
26 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 27Markets
marchés
EQUIPMENT
Making Dreamliners
come true
Safran supplies the Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s landing gear. We traveled to the Boeing plant
in Everett, near Seattle, to talk with three of Safran’s key actors in this partnership.
S
© Vince Streano / Creative Center
© Vince Streano / Creative Center
ix o’clock in the morning … or even
earlier! The work day often starts well
before sunrise at Boeing’s huge plants
in Everett and Renton, near Seattle,
Washington. Safran’s staff is of course Attaching the wheel to
on Boeing time as well, including French expats the brake assembly. Installing the strut.
Nicolas Cathelin and Thomas Durollet, and
American Nick Nelson. They are obviously on the
same schedule as everybody at Boeing. At stake is a ues its transformation by increasingly transferring
major program that the giant plane-maker will be responsibility for major subassemblies to Tier 1
© Vince Streano / Creative Center
overseeing for decades to come, the new-generation suppliers. “This marks a deep change in the cor-
787 Dreamliner commercial jet. Labinal porate culture,” notes Nicolas Cathelin, the Mess-
“Safran provides the main landing gear for the supplies the ier-Bugatti representative in Everett. “We have
787,” notes Nick Nelson from Messier-Dowty, wiring for the to be absolutely flawless in our relations with the
Dreamliner’s
who is in charge of landing gear assembly. “The landing gear. airframer, and that depends on establishing rela-
Messier-Bugatti (Safran group) wheels are fitted tions of mutual trust with everybody involved in
with tires by Boeing, who sends this assembly to the program, from the fitters and quality inspec-
us. We take direct delivery of the electric brakes, tors on the line, to the flight test teams.” Nico-
designed by Messier-Bugatti, and landing gear wir- Installing the carbon las Cathelin is responsible for technical support
ing from Labinal, also a Safran company. We then brakes. of all Safran wheels and brakes. “My job also
assemble all these components on the gear legs involves marketing to a certain extent, on behalf
that are shipped from the Messier-Dowty Toronto of Messier-Bugatti, as well as logistics aspects, such
plant, and we deliver the integrated landing gear to as facilitating the customs procedures for various
a Boeing assembly line just a couple blocks away.” parts shipped from France.” He operates out of a
By “we”, Nick Nelson means his team, comprising building just a stone’s throw from Boeing’s plants,
two technicians, an inspector and a quality engi- alongside other Safran entities, including Tech-
neer. This five-man team delivers two landing gear nofan, Safran Electronics and, since early March,
sets per month to Boeing. Since production of the the Messier-Dowty team headed by Nick Nelson.
© Vince Streano / Creative Center
787 involves rolling the plane from one assembly Thomas Durollet, the on-site Messier-Bugatti
station to another, the on-time delivery of landing program manager for Boeing Commercial pro- A complete
gear is vital to keep the line moving. grams, also has his office in this building, as he landing gear
© Thomas Durollet
“We are totally obsessed with delivering the hard- explains: “My presence here can be traced back to being trucked
ware on time and in perfect condition,” emphasizes when Boeing set up an actual joint program plat- to the Boeing
final assembly
Nick. “Sometimes we have to be flexible to cope form during the development of the 787. Today, I plant.
with the emergencies that seem to crop up all the work on all aircraft under development, starting
time. For instance, we’ve even had to take delivery with the Dreamliner. The 787 is now being flight Even though the Everett plant is just a few blocks
of parts on a Sunday morning, so we could deliver The Boeing 787 under test tested, and there are still adjustments to be made away, most contacts are by phone or videoconfer-
the complete landing gear on Tuesday.” Six 787 Dreamliners will be used for flight testing, three equipped with on the systems we supply, with the help of Safran ence. “Many decisions are made in meetings at
wheels and electric brakes by Messier, and two outfitted by Goodrich. Power, in charge of the braking control systems. Boeing, and barely a day goes by when I don’t take
Mutual trust The first aircraft had a mixed configuration: Messier-Bugatti on the I’m also heavily involved in two other programs, part in a meeting on the 787,” adds Thomas Durol-
Boeing traditionally produced all systems for its right, Goodrich on the left! Twelve production-standard aircraft have namely carbon brakes for the Boeing 737, and the let. Program reviews are organized weekly, and
aircraft in-house, including the landing gear. already been built or are being assembled. tire pressure and brake temperature monitoring teams meet on a quarterly basis at Everett or Vélizy
With the 787, however, the plane-maker contin- system for the Boeing 747-8.” (near Paris, Messier headquarters in France).
28 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 29Markets
marchés
w Dominique-Jean Chertier
This initiative also
PRODUCTION Safran, Executive clearly illustrates
© Stéphane de Bourgies/Abaca press
Board member, the corporate social
Story of a successful
Social, Legal and
responsibility (CSR)
Institutional Affairs
stance that guides
© Jean-François Damois/Creative Center
Safran day to day.
redeployment
“What we did in
Fougères reflects
our social solidarity,
The 700 employees at a Sagem Industries plant had the dynamic mindset needed to quickly adapt but it’s also a bet
to changes in the Group, while bringing to the table their expertise and ability to innovate. Betting on the future on the future,”
adds Chertier. “The
Safran’s corporate management’s employees at this
management commitment plant are a key to
more than ten ideas per person per year, on aver- kept a close eye to maintaining Safran’s development
age. To ensure the success of this major changeover, on the industrial employment and in other business
plant management launched a large-scale training redeployment skills. “An extensive sectors.” In fact,
program in 2009, totaling 42,500 hours. About 60 of the Sagem training program the redeployment of
employees are currently seconded to other sites as Industries plant. Its allowed us to meet Fougères shows how
well. “We want to hone our expertise in the sub- current business this challenge,” the Group’s values
contracted production of electronics parts made in diversification says Dominique- are actually applied
small runs or even single prototype units,” explains clearly reflects Jean Chertier. in the real world.
human resources head Robert Di Tommaso.
Electronics driven
These extensive efforts are quickly bearing fruit.
Fellow Safran company Turbomeca chose Sagem
20%
of daily shipments of
Industries to handle the logistics for half of its spare engines or modules for
parts, as well as the pool of replacement engines and Turbomeca are urgent,
to repair a grounded
modules. “We have achieved excellent on-time deliv-
© Jean-François Damois/Creative Center
aircraft (AOG, or
ery, at slightly lower cost,” notes Philippe Gaulier. At Aircraft On Ground).
the same time, Sagem also chose this site to handle They have to leave the
certain production duties for the FELIN system (see Sagem Industries plant
within two hours, and
article on page 32), including assembly of non-optical get to the customer
terminals, finishing operations on parts and manage- as quickly as possible,
ment of the logistics platform. anywhere in the world.
But the plant is above all counting on its elec-
© Jean-François Damois/Creative Center
tronics expertise to ensure its long-term viability.
T
In the words of Yves Riollet, head of the defense
“
Overall view of
the printed
he people at Sagem Industries’ Fougères according to CEO Jean-Paul Herteman: “The business, “We understand the processes, technolo-
circuit board plant have a corporate culture steeped Fougères plant is a real gem because of its exper- gies and testing techniques, as well as everything to
finishing shop, in meeting challenges,” says Philippe tise in logistics and industrial processes. No matter do with electronics finishing, varnishes and thermal
which packages Gaulier, and he should know! Now what happens, we will keep it running.” cycling.” Sagem has already tasked Fougères with
and inspects these
electronic devices. head of logistics for the Safran group, fabrication of printed circuit boards for products
he was also in charge of logistics for Sagem Mobiles, Skills and creativity such as the AASM guided weapon deployed by
former owner of the plant now managed by Sagem The plant offers the major assets needed to success- Rafale fighters, sights and navigation system sen-
Industries. He’s in the ideal spot to observe the fully complete its redeployment, as described by gen- sors. By developing this business, Safran will be
success of this latest metamorphosis. Origi- eral manager Jean-Paul Trabis: “Over the last thirty able to offset the end of the residual mobile phone
© Jean-François Damois/Creative Center
nally founded in the 1970s to manufacture telex years we have built up considerable expertise in four packaging operations, before setting off to win new
machines, the Fougères plant subsequently made major areas, namely production engineering, indus- customers. “Of course, we eventually plan to win
112
continuous
fax machines, car dashboards, payment terminals,
set-top boxes and, starting in 1995, mobile phones.
Through 2008, it would roll out some 100 million
trial support, logistics and the fabrication of printed
circuit boards.” In addition, Fougères offers enviable
creativity and energy. Since the creation of the
contracts from companies outside the Group,” con-
cludes Jean-Paul Trabis.
improvement w More
initiatives now
phones. But when Safran divested its mobile phone Safran group, the plant’s employees have submit- Spotlight on Sagem Industries’ logistics
encompass more business, this activity at the plant was shut down. ted the most improvement ideas within the scope expertise in the Media section on Safran’s
than 1,000 people. However, Safran would never divest the plant itself, of the Group’s participative innovation program: website: www.safran-group.com
30 _ June 2010 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2010 _ 31You can also read
