Daher today completed its acquisition of aerospace manufacturing group Assistance Aéronautique et Aérospatiale (AAA). The combination of the two companies, which was announced in February, constitutes a significant consolidation within France’s aerospace supply chain, with AAA adding some 2,000 employees and annual revenues of €200 million ($218 million) to Daher.
As part of Daher’s “Take Off 2027” strategic plan, the company aims to strengthen its position across four complementary businesses: aircraft production, manufacturing, manufacturing services, and logistics. Announcing the closing of the merger, Daher said that AAA will provide additional bandwidth in areas such as assembling and installing aerostructures, systems, and engines, as well as flight-line services, maintenance, industrialization, and quality support. It also pointed to AAA’s strengths in training a skilled workforce at a time when the shortage of skills has become a significant factor in ongoing supply chain problems in the aviation industry.
Outside of France, AAA has subsidiaries and holdings in Canada, the U.S., Germany, Qatar, China, and the Philippines. Daher has appointed Cédric Eloy as CEO of its new business unit, supported by deputy general manager Sylvain Ruellé. Daher has not said specifically whether AAA will now directly support manufacturing of its TBM and/or Kodiak aircraft.