Dassault Aviation has inaugurated its new production facility in Cergy, northwest of Paris. The ceremony was presided over by chairman and CEO Eric Trappier, joined by employees, local officials and regional representatives.

Eric Trappier, chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, says: “This is Dassault Aviation’s first new production facility since the 1970s. It sends a positive signal to the aerospace sector and to industry as a whole. France possesses unique expertise that we must preserve and develop within our national territory. This is a question of sovereignty, which is particularly vital in the current context. It is also an economic and social imperative, to meet the challenge of reindustrializing our country and creating jobs.”

The Cergy site has been operational since summer 2024 and replaces Dassault’s Argenteuil plant, which had become outdated. It carries out assembly of Falcon and Rafale skin panels and small parts, forward fuselages assembly, Rafale fuselage outfitting, and metal hose production.

The 110,760 m² site includes 39,700 m² of production space, smart lighting, solar roof panels, green spaces and an advanced ventilation system. More than 600 employees were transferred from Argenteuil to Cergy, while production of small primary parts has moved to Dassault’s Seclin facility.

Construction of the Cergy plant began in 2021 after the project was launched in 2019, and teams and equipment have been transferring from Argenteuil since July 2024.