The CEO of Figeac Aero will soon leave its aeronautical flagship

EXCLUSIVE. Last June, Jean-Claude Maillard warned: it would be “His penultimate or his last” Bourget lounge. For example, The emblematic CEO of Figeac Aero. Furthermore, now 68 years old, unveiled in the spring of his wish to sell the company he founded in 1989. Moreover, At the time. However, the engineer of barely thirty years worked for Ratier-Figeac, first-class equipment supplier, when he decides to create his own company in the Lot. Meanwhile, “I started at the right time understanding that the clients. For example, then unreasonably integrated, were going to subcontract and buy more than produce. For example, What I had not anticipated is that the market was going to develop so much ”, he confides to The platform.

Taking advantage of this wave. However, Figeac Aero is experiencing dazzling growth, going from 19 million euros in turnover ceo figeac aero will soon in 2000 to 447 million in March 2020 and thus becoming the first aeronautical subcontractor in Europe. Therefore, After the cataclysm of the covid. Similarly, which divides by two its turnover, the manufacturer of aeronautical parts sees the end of the tunnel. Similarly, Figeac Aero reached a turnover of 432 million euros over the last year, neighboring its pre -crisis level (447 million in March 2020).

The group’s medium -term prospects, which employs more than 3,500 people worldwide, are flourishing. Furthermore, Figeac Aero aims for a turnover greater than 600 million euros. Consequently, almost a third more than its historic peak of 2020, an EBITDA at 100 million euros and an available cash flow (free cash flow) greater than 60 million euros per year, almost double the level reached over the last financial year. Furthermore, Added to this is an important deleveraging plan, by 2028. In addition, It is also ceo figeac aero will soon to this deadline that Jean-Claude Maillard plans to leave the company:

“It went quickly. When you are busy carrying out a project, you already think of the next one, which accelerates the passing time. But I am proud of the quality of the products that we manage to put on the market. Figeac Aero is a beautiful company with a good level of profitability. still great prospects for growth ”, Analysis the leader after spending almost forty years at the head of the company he founded.

Ceo figeac aero will soon

New wave of Indian shareholders

According to information from The platform Unveiled last March. Figeac Aero has been conducting discussions with the Indian group Mahindra for several months. This passage under the Indian pavilion of a French aeronautical flagship would not be a first. Just a year ago. the subcontractor Ad Industries was bought by the Indian Motherson group and, ceo figeac aero will soon in early June, Basque Lauak announced that it entered exclusive negotiations with the Wipro Indian for the sale of the majority of its capital.

The Lotois leader is uncompromising: he does not comment on the negotiations in progress with potential foreign buyers. On the other hand. he agreed to return to the deep upheavals of the aeronautical industry shareholding in four decades:

“In the supply chain, I knew three types of shareholders. In the 1980s until the 2000s, shareholders were the founders of the company or their children. They were technicians who had already made aircraft parts in another company. From the 2000s, some of them sold their capital to financiers.

The third wave of current shareholders is made up of industrialists. many of them from India, who have often succeeded in industry, especially automotive. They have money and are completely amazed by the prospects offered by long -term ceo figeac aero will soon aeronautics. »»

Before continuing: “Aeronautics is an industry with 5 % annual average growth ‘without doing anything’ in a way. A leader, with a more offensive strategy to seek market share, can reach 10 % to 20 % growth. Moreover, Figeac Aero recorded growth of 23 % per year over the period 2010-2020. »»

Jean-Claude Maillard adds that the great aeronautical principals “Like these investors because India is a big outlet for them whether in terms of civil. military planes”: “We recall that Dassault sells a lot of Rafale in India. Indian companies have money to invest and almost limitless and inexpensive production capacities. »»

While several votes in the sector amounted last spring against the “Risk of seeing Indian groups control the manufacture of aerostructure of aircraft”. The Lotois leader considers that « The rules of sustainability of companies, namely to be on a promising market with great ceo figeac aero will soon technical and industrial potential, remain the same ”.

Faithful to his principles. Jean-Claude Maillard does not hesitate to go to a rider alone when he deems it necessary and does not get involved in all the instances of the sector, which can annoy. Nicknamed “The Lord of Lot”. Due to his weight in the local economy, he was able to remain close to his employees and puts the work medals each year each year with employees with more than twenty years of professional activity. A divisive personality that the manager assumes perfectly: “It’s well summarized”, he will let go during the interview.

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Aeronautics: Figeac aero close to going under an Indian pavilion

Ceo figeac aero will soon

Defense factories

Beyond his change of capital. before his departure, Jean-Claude Maillard is preparing a final strategic movement. Figeac Aero is about to take a large turn to the defense sector. “With ceo figeac aero will soon the dismantling of the Eastern Bloc. in the 1990s, we considered that the threat had disappeared and that we no longer needed to arm ourselves. The war in Ukraine revealed that the risk was still there. European states have decided to equip themselves. Figeac Aero strongly wishes to develop its production capacity for defense ”, informs the manager.

While the Occitanie region has announced a 200 million euros plan for defense manufacturers. Figeac Aero wants to be offensive in this strategic reorientation. “I would like factories dedicated to defense within my group. either by mobilizing existing production sites, or by building another factory”, explains the CEO of Figeac Aero. Discussions are initiated with the Occitanie region to facilitate the emergence of such a factory.

Defense: The Occitanie region draws 200 million to contribute to European resilience