Stelia Aerospace

Stelia Aerospace can trace its origins back to two separate companies, SOGERMA and Aerolia. SOGERMA (Société girondine d’entretien et de réparation de matériel aéronautique) was a French company founded in 1924 amid the early days of aviation.[2] Prior to undergoing restructuring during 2006, the company has largely focused its activities upon the MRO sector;[3][4] but subsequently directed its resources into its specialist aerostructures and seating activities.[5]

AEROLIA SA was founded on 1 January 2009 as a spin-off of Airbus France's aerostructures activities.[6][7] This involved the Méaulte and Saint-Nazaire industrial plants, along with a design office in Toulouse. Its independence came as a consequence of several economic factors affecting the business; during 2007, EADS' management decided to respond to events, such a weakening US dollar and the high investment needed by both the Airbus A380 and A350 XWB airliners, by launching a restructuring initiative intended to streamline the group, divest several non-core activities, and cut costs.[8][9] Aerospace periodical Flight International compared the move to Boeing's then-recent spin-off of Spirit AeroSystems.[10]

On 1 January 2015, Stelia Aerospace was created via the merger of Aerolia and Sogerma.[11] The two businesses were considered to be 'complementary' to one another; at the time of its formation, Stelia Aerospace employed roughly 6,100 staff that were spread across 11 different locations.[12] Contracts previously undertaken by the prior two firms seamlessly carried over to the new entity, such as those for fitting out work on Airbus' airliners.[13]

During March 2017, the company inaugurated its new aeronautics factory in Méaulte, Northern France; this facility, which handles the production of the forward fuselages of Airbus airliners as well as the central fuselage of Bombardier Aerospace’s Global 7500 series of business jets, involved an investment of €70 million.[14] In February 2018, Stelia Aerospace demonstrated a metallic fuselage panel that had been manufactured using 3D printing techniques.[15][16] That same year, it was announced that the firm had acquired a majority shareholding in the Toulouse-based digital modelling specialist Portalliance Engineering.[17] In October 2019, it was announced that Stelia Aerospace would build a new assembly plant in Portugal at a cost of €40 million.[18] In February 2020, the company started a three-year partnership with Bombardier for the AILE (Aile Intelligente et Légère pour l’Environnement or Intelligent and Light Wing for Environment) research programme.[19]

Stelia Aerospace has 3 main business segments:

• Aerostructures
• Premium class airline seats (First, Business, Premium Economy)
• Pilot seats

Stelia Aerospace also manufacturers aircraft interiors.

Aerostructures

Wings of an ATR being delivered to Toulouse Final Assembly Line.

Stelia Aerospace designs and manufactures fully equipped aircraft fuselage sections from the nose to the rear, wings and special Work Packages such as main landing gear bay, A400M ramp door, helicopter tail boom.

A major portion of the company's business is the designing and manufacturing of aerostructures, including complex detailed parts comprising both composite and metallic materials. STELIA Aerospace claims that it is one of a small number of companies able to provide a fully equipped section (metallic and/or composite fuselage section, with all the tubes and wiring systems integrated), developing the “plug and fly” concept.

- Wings of the ATR family, which are fully equipped and tested up to the final test benches.[20]
- Central section of the Bombardier large business jet Global 7000/8000 central section.[21]
- Various sections of the Airbus A220, such as the cockpit and aft fuselage.[22]
- Elements of the Airbus Beluga XL, including the nose section, cargo door, and upper fuselage with pre-integrated systems (electrical, hydraulic, air conditioning, oxygen, etc.)[23]

Stelia Aerospace is a global business with 11 worldwide industrial facilities, with supporting offices.

• Stelia Aerospace official website
• Stelia North-America official website