Philippe Petitcolin, Chief Executive Officer of Safran, today announced the construction of a new aircraft carbon brake plant in Feyzin, near Lyon, in a ceremony attended by French President Emmanuel Macron and Ross McInnes, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Safran.

This new plant will strengthen the production capacity of Safran Landing Systems, the Group's landing and braking system specialist. Carbon brakes for aircraft are currently produced at three Safran facilities: the legacy site in Villeurbanne (near Lyon), also Safran's global research center for friction materials, Walton, Kentucky in the United States, and Sendayan in Malaysia.

"Today we are extremely proud to announce the construction of this new plant," said Safran CEO Philippe Petitcolin. "It will be a truly world-class production facility because of the innovative technologies used, while also setting a new standard in environmental-friendliness. In the Lyon region we enjoy one of the most dynamic industrial ecosystems in France, and we will eventually be adding up to 200 new employees at this plant."

Jean-Paul Alary, CEO of Safran Landing Systems, added: "Carbon brakes by Safran are already used on more than 10,000 airplanes deployed by some 500 airlines worldwide. With this new plant in Feyzin, Safran Landing Systems will consolidate its world leadership in carbon brakes and also address growing demand, driven by sustained growth in air traffic around the world. Our new plant will feature an innovative modular design, allowing it to develop in line with market requirements over the coming decades."

The facility will incorporate the full range of "Factory 4.0" technologies developed by Safran, resulting in a significant reduction in energy and water consumption, as well as increased use of renewable energies. Along with this new plant, the company is launching a major Research & Technology program in partnership with laboratories, universities and small businesses in the region, backed by support from the federal and local governments.