Safran Nacelles A world leader in aircraft nacelles

Safran Nacelles designs, integrates and provides support and after-sales service for aircraft nacelles. The company is a global leader in the market for commercial aircraft with more than 100 seats, business jets and regional aircraft.

Our expertise

Commercial aircraft nacelles

Safran Nacelles has developed a range of nacelles for short, medium and long-haul commercial aircraft. The company produces equipment to Airbus, Boeing and COMAC, and offers aerodynamic, lightweight nacelles with advanced acoustic treatments that contribute to the reduction of CO2 and noise emissions from aircraft.

Regional and business jet nacelles

Safran Nacelles supplies major regional and business aircraft manufacturers such as Bombardier, Dassault, Gulfstream, Textron Aviation, Irkout-Sukhoi, Embraer, etc.

Customer Support and Services

Safran Nacelles supports its customers in the operation of their nacelles 24/7 around the world. Its NacelleLife™ offering provides adapted services, from the entry into service of the aircraft to its withdrawal.

Engineering

Safran Nacelles is an expert in the use of composite materials to reduce nacelle weight, in the design of metal alloy nozzles for high temperature environments, and in acoustic treatments to reduce engine noise emissions.

3DMF® technology

With the acquisition of 3D Metal Forming, the world leader in high energy hydroforming, Safran Nacelles has secured a new expertise, which enables the organisation to enhance its technology portfolio and consolidate its position as a reference aerospace player in the development and manufacture of nacelles.

Technologies 4.0

Virtual reality, augmented reality, intelligent trolleys, mobile or pulsed lines, automation, infrared thermography… Innovation and digital technology are at the heart of Safran Nacelles factories.

Decarbonisation

Safran Nacelles is committed to reducing the carbon footprint of its products and processes through sustainable technologies and energy optimisation throughout the production process.

Over 140,000
flight hours daily
4,100
employees on 14 locations
1.3 second
between two takeoffs with Safran nacelles in 2024

Our Governance

SAFRAN - Site Lelystad-polissage

New high energy hydroforming technology

In 2023, Safran Nacelles acquired 3D Metal Forming (3DMF), a Dutch global leader specialised in high energy hydroforming of metal parts. This technology enables high precision manufacture of large components, such as air inlet lips and nozzles, and strengthens Safran Nacelles' development and production capabilities. Hydroforming, which uses controlled explosions to shape metals, is particularly suitable for complex propulsion system applications. It also offers the capability to produce aerospace structures, thus optimising the weight and performance of aircraft engines. 

Digital technology at the heart of manufacturing

Team meeting

Safran Nacelles draws on Technologies 4.0 to improve its industrial performance

The digital transformation of its factories is a performance lever for meeting the quality, cost and lead time requirements of its customers, and to support them in the development of their activities. Digital technologies are central to Safran Nacelles sites, both in increasing the reliability of its production by using the data generated by its industrial resources, and facilitating the monitoring of its products through digital continuity from design to manufacturing and maintenance in the operational phase.

Robotization and automation

Robotic cell for marking an IFS A320neo composite

Safran Nacelles builds on automation to boost its agility and productivity

Safran Nacelles was one of the first manufacturers to robotize the complex manufacturing processes for composite parts: layering, infrared thermography inspection, acoustic drilling, etc. Today, the majority of assembly processes (drilling, riveting, milling, etc.) and finishing operations (painting) are automated. Its mobile or pulsed lines help reduce the production cycles of its nacelles, while its “intelligent trolleys” reduce the integration time on the engine to around 10 minutes, nearly 20 times less than with traditional handling methods. Its Cobots also combine the strength, precision and repeatability capabilities of robots with those of operators and technicians.

Reducing the environmental footprint of aircraft

Airbus A320neo

Safran Nacelles spearheaded many innovations that help meet environmental requirements

Our composite materials and high-performance metal alloys reduce nacelle weight, resulting in reduced aircraft fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Of particular note, we have mastered the Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) process used for the Airbus A320neo and Falcon 7X/8X nacelles. We are also developing acoustic technologies that reduce noise emissions by "trapping" engine noise at strategic nacelle or nozzle surfaces. This technology has made the Airbus A380 one of the quietest aircraft, despite its size. Finally, we are constantly improving the aerodynamics of our nacelles to reduce in-flight drag.

A comprehensive service offer

Safran Nacelles team working on A380 nacelle

NacelleLife™ supports nacelles at every stage of their life

Many offers on the market only deal with entry into service and major services, Safran Nacelles’ NacelleLife™ service portfolio embodies the comprehensive approach that fully encompasses airlines’ requirements. Their entire aircraft life cycle is covered, from pre-entry into service to operational retirement.

The objective is to maximize availability and to minimize maintenance costs at each step of the life cycle. NacelleLife™ is supported by a network of 13 sites, reinforced by partnerships and several MRO (Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul) centers, to ensure the proximity and the reactivity expected by our customers.

Find out more about NacelleLife™
Our subsidiaries

Innovative nacelle systems to travel in tomorrow’s world

A key player on the aircraft MRO (Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul) market in the Middle-East

Our rating on gender equality

0 88 / 100

Criteria
  1. 1.

    Gender pay gap

    38

  2. 2.

    Allocation of individual increases

    20

  3. 3.

    Difference in the distribution of promotions

    15

  4. 4.

    Number of employees increased upon return from maternity leave

    15

  5. 5.

    Parity among top 10 earners

    0

According to the French law of September 5, 2018, and its application decree of January 8, 2019, on "Freedom to choose your professional future" (Liberté de choisir son avenir professionnel), companies have to measure five gender equality indicators and publish their overall score. The primary aim of this law is to eliminate compensation discrepancies between men and women.

Rixain Law

Furthermore, the law to accelerate economic and professional equality between men and women from December 24, 2021 (called the Rixain Law) created a new requirement to have women in the executive bodies of companies with over 1,000 employees. Within Safran, the policy on the professional advancement of women, their access to positions of authority, the identification of talent, and assistance with professional development are priorities that we have also extended to our relations with engineering schools and universities in the past few years.

Within Safran Nacelles, the indicators relating to gaps in representation between women and men in positions of greater responsibility are as follows:

  • Percentage of senior executives who are women and men, respectively: 26 % / 74 %
  • Percentage of members of executive bodies who are women and men, respectively: 38 % / 62 %

Safran Nacelles : we make nacelles, rely on us

Safran Nacelles: We make nacelles, rely on us : 02 minutes and 22 seconds

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