Safran will be setting up a new production plant for titanium compressor blades and vanes for LEAP engines in Walloon region of Belgium. As per Safran, the 10,000-square-meter facility will feature automation, highly qualified personnel and the most advanced digital technologies. Plant 4.0 will produce more than 2,000 blades and vanes a day, with innovative, autonomous real-time quality control at every critical stage of production.
Olivier Andriès, CEO of Safran, said: “We are very proud to announce the construction of this plant today. I'd like to thank the Belgian and Walloon governments for their ongoing support for Safran's industrial and research projects, and for consolidating the autonomy of our supply chain through this investment.”
François Lepot, CEO of Safran Aero Boosters, said: “There are hundreds of blades in the compressor. They are a key component in our supply chain. Managing their production in both technical and logistical terms will guarantee our performance.”
The new facility will be set up in partnership with Belgian and Walloon federal authorities, the Société Régionale dʼInvestissement de Wallonie (S.R.I.W) and the Société Fédérale de Participations et d'Investissement (S.F.P.I.M). Safran Aero Boosters has a majority stake of 56% and the two partners each hold 22%, representing an investment of €50 million.
The new facility will be operational in 2025 and will employ around 100 people.