en.Wedoany.com Reported - On April 13, 2026, Safran Aircraft Engines announced an investment of €150 million to procure a 30,000-ton hydraulic forging press for its Gennevilliers plant in France. According to the official announcement from the Safran Group, this project will create 130 new jobs starting in 2026 and is scheduled to be operational in 2029, dedicated to manufacturing critical forged components for commercial and military aircraft engines. The Gennevilliers plant, with over 120 years of experience in forging, casting, and precision machining, serves as a core hub within Safran Aircraft Engines' industrial system.
The additional forging capacity will directly support the production ramp-up plan for CFM International's LEAP engine series. The LEAP engine powers the new generation of narrow-body aircraft, including the Airbus A320neo family and the Boeing 737 MAX family, whose global fleets continue to expand. The new equipment will also cover the production of military aviation engine components, including the power systems for the French Rafale fighter, Mirage series fighters, and the A400M military transport aircraft, as well as components for high-thrust engine projects involving Safran's collaboration with GE Aerospace, such as the GE90 series engines used on Boeing 777 aircraft.
At full operational capacity, the 30,000-ton press can produce up to 14,000 precision forged components annually. The equipment integrates a sensor network and a connected monitoring system that can track temperature, pressure, and deformation data in real-time during the forging process, while also utilizing noise reduction technology to lower industrial noise levels. In addition to fulfilling existing orders, this press has the capability to manufacture large components, providing pre-positioned capacity reserves for future civil aviation engine projects.
Stéphane Cueille, CEO of Safran Aircraft Engines, stated that this investment aims to support the simultaneous growth of the company's commercial and military aviation businesses, consolidate its technical expertise in forging processes, and enhance France's industrial and technological autonomy in the manufacturing of critical aircraft engine components. Cueille noted that the investment in the Gennevilliers plant complements recent capacity expansion projects at the Rennes and Le Creusot plants, collectively strengthening the resilience of the domestic French supply chain and ensuring the security of supply for military engine components.
The Safran Group anticipates that by 2035, the production volume for its full range of engines will nearly double from current levels. The Gennevilliers plant's integrated capabilities—spanning forging, casting, and finished part machining—make Safran Aircraft Engines one of the few global aircraft engine manufacturers with a fully autonomous forging system. CFM International is a 50/50 joint venture between Safran Aircraft Engines and GE Aerospace.
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