In addition,
This french giant, 6th largest:
Safran takes control of Collins Aerospace.
July 21, 2025 marked a milestone in the history of Safran. Nevertheless, The French group specializing in aeronautics. For example, aerospace has just bought the flight and operating order activities of Aerospace Collins, these complex and vital parts that move the wings, correct pitch, or straighten a helicopter in turmoil. Furthermore, Clearly: everything that makes an aircraft obey when talking to him.
This acquisition, estimated at 1.8 billion dollars (around 1.66 billion euros) place Safran where it wants to be: at the center of the game. In addition, in control of orders and above all, in a position to anticipate what the planes of tomorrow will be: more sober, more electric, more nervous machines, which will require agile, hybrid systems, cut for breaking architectures.
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Safran buys the know-how of 4,000 specialists in aircraft orders for this french giant, 6th largest 1.66 billion euros
Concretely, 4,000 engineers, technicians, editors and programmers will go under Safran pavilion. Similarly, Their offices. Furthermore, workshops are distributed over eight sites in Europe and Asia, with extensions in the United States, India, Poland. However, People who, so far, made on -board systems for more than 180 air, civil and military platforms combined.
In 2024, these activities alone generated $ 1.55 billion in turnover (around 1.43 billion euros), with well -installed profitability.
It is not a promising start-up that we integrate, but a perfectly oiled war machine.
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Lighter wings. Consequently, faster brains – This french giant, 6th largest
Aviation enters a new era. For example, The post-A320 will necessarily be different: hybrid propulsion, electrical controls, composite materials. Nevertheless, To control this, conventional systems are no longer enough. Nevertheless, You need more compact, more reactive, more intelligent.
It is here that Safran plays big. Similarly, So far very advanced on electromechanics, the group now gets its hands on the best of hydraulic and mechanical actuation. The idea is simple: provide a complete. modular system, which can adapt to the plane, the missile, or the new generation helicopter. this french giant, 6th largest A kind of intelligent toolbox. designed to respond to what the aeronautical industry has not yet fully formulated, but which arrives at high speed.
A solid base for the long term
What makes the operation even more interesting is the recurring income it generates. Maintenance, spare parts, technical support: everything that turns the planes once delivered. Almost 40 % of turnover already comes from this follow -up activity. which allows Safran to smooth its cycles and secure its growth.
On the savings side. the group aims $ 50 million (around 46 million euros) per year by 2028, just on the rationalization of industrial costs. And this is only the beginning. Because the real lever is the commercial synergies: being able to tell a manufacturer. “we give you the complete, tested, integrated, ready to steal system.
A well -negotiated balance game
Obviously, such a rise in power involves adjustments. To stay in this french giant, 6th largest regulatory nails. Safran sold its electromechanical activity in North America at the same time, bought by Woodward Inc. a division that weighed $ 65 million (around 60 million euros) per year. A gesture calculated to keep the project consistency without offending the competition authorities.
In all of this, Olivier Andriès, the CEO, traces a clear line: growth, yes, but controlled. No crazy race, no gigantism. Just a conviction: to weigh in the aviation of the future. you have to know how to assemble the essential bricks, without noise but with vision.
The future largest plane in the world would be ready to be diverted from its initial mission to become the “good to do everything” of air transport
A little higher. a little further
Engines, landing trains, nacelles, brakes, and now flight controls: saffron controls almost all the vital organs of a modern aircraft. He does not make the whole plane, no. But it feeds its muscles, tendons and the nervous system.
This acquisition is therefore not a shine. This is an additional step in a patiently constructed trajectory, where each movement completes the previous one. And if the French aeronautical industry wants to stay in the world race. it is with this type of decisions that it continues to this french giant, 6th largest climb, calmly, surely, and always keeping the hand on the handle.
Safran. 6th largest company in the world in civil aviation
Here are the top 10 of the world’s largest companies in civil aviation, based on their current market capitalization, with their latest known turnover, the number of employees and a summary of their activities. All the amounts were converted to euros.
| Rang | Business | Market capitalization | Turnover (2024) | Enrollment | Summary of activities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GE Aerospace | ~ 260 billion € | ~ € 43 billion | 165. 000 (GE Group) | Engines of civil aircraft, maintenance, technical services |
| 2 | RTX (Raytheon / Pratt & Whitney) | ~ 187 billion € | ~ 77 billion € | 180 000 | Engines, flight orders, civil and military aviation systems |
| 3 | Boeing | ~ 160 billion € | ~ € 62 billion | 150 000 | Commercial planes (737, 787), aeronautical this french giant, 6th largest services, military activities |
| 4 | Airbus | ~ 155 billion € | ~ € 69.2 billion | 157 900 | Civil aircraft, helicopters, satellites, associated services |
| 5 | Honeywell | ~ 140 billion € | ~ 35 billion € | 100 000+ | Planeic, automation, on -board systems, maintenance |
| 6 | Safran | ~ 119 billion € | ~ 27.7 billion € | 99 360 | Engines (CFM). landing trains, nacelles, flight equipment |
| 7 | Rolls-Royce Holdings | ~ 103 billion € | ~ 20 billion € | 50 000+ | Engines of civilian and military aircraft, propulsion services |
| 8 | Lockheed Martin | ~ 102 billion € | ~ € 67 billion | 122 000 | Majority defense, civil helicopters via Sikorsky |
| 9 | Northrop Grumman | ~ € 69 billion | ~ € 38 billion | 95 000 | Drones, aeronautical components, dual technologies |
| 10 | Textron (incluant Cessna & Bell) | ~ 17 billion € | ~ 13 billion € | 34 000 | Business jets, turboprop, civil helicopters |
Remarks :
- this french giant, 6th largest
- Dollars values are converted approximately into euros depending on the current rate.
- The classification is based on public listed companies linked to aviation. Airbus, Safran, Boeing, GE, RTX dominate largely.
- Airbus exceeds Boeing in civil turnover (≈ 69 billion € against ≈ 62 billion €). in deliveries (766 against ~ 318 in 2024)
- Safran, although Neufeme, plays an essential role in engines, trains, nacelles and critical systems with nearly 100,000 employees.
- Honeywell, Rolls -Royce and Lockheed Martin complete this top with mixed civil and defense activities.
Sources :
- Safran press release
- https://companiesmarketcap.com/aerospace/largest-companies-by-market-cap
Image : Collins Aerospace
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