Safran

Not to be confused with saffron or Saffran.

For the Australian media personality, see John Safran.

Safran S.A.

Type	Société Anonyme
Traded as	Euronext: SAF
Industry	Defence, aerospace
Founded	2005
Headquarters	Paris, France
Key people	Jean-Paul Herteman (CEO), Francis Mer (Chairman)
Products	Aircraft engines and equipment, defence electronics, biometric technologies, smart cards, identity management
Revenue	€11.23 billion (2010)[1]
Operating income	€938 million (2010)[1]
Profit	€207 million (2010)[1]
Total assets	€18.51 billion (end 2010)[1]
Total equity	€4.705 billion (end 2010)[1]
Employees	53,410 (average, 2010)[1]
Website	www.safran-group.com

Safran is a French conglomerate involved in defense, aerospace propulsion and equipment, and security. It is the result of a merger between the propulsion and aerospace equipment group SNECMA and the defense conglomerate SAGEM. Its headquarters are located in Paris.

The name Safran, literally meaning "rudder blade", was chosen from 4,250 suggestions.^{[citation needed]} As a holding company for many subsidiaries the name was deemed suitable for the suggestion of direction, movement and strategy. Safran also translates as saffron, which the company highlights as one of the catalysts for early international trade.

History

The Safran Group was created on May 11, 2005 with the merger of Snecma and Sagem SA.

Snecma

In 1905 Louis Seguin created the company Gnome. Production of the first rotary engine for airplanes, the Gnome Omega, started in 1909. This company merged with the Le Rhône, a company created in 1912 by Louis Verdet, to form the Gnome et Rhône engine company. Gnome & Rhône was nationalized in 1945, creating Snecma. In 2000, this company gave its name to the “Snecma Group”, and carried out a number of acquisitions to form a larger group with an array of complementary businesses.

Sagem

Sagem (Société d’Applications Générales de l’Electricité et de la Mécanique) was created in 1924 by Marcel Môme. In 1939, Sagem entered the telephone and transmissions market by taking control of Société d’Applications Téléphoniques (SAT). It acquired Société de Fabrication d’Instruments de Mesure (Sfim), a measurement instrument specialist, in 1999. However, by 2008 Sagem Mobile and Sagem Communications had been sold. Sagem Mobile became Sagem Wireless in January 2009.

Group organization

The Safran group is divided into three main branches:^[2]

Aerospace Propulsion

The Aerospace Propulsion branch groups all operations concerning the propulsion of airplanes, helicopters, missiles and launchers, for the civil aviation, military aviation and space markets: design, production, marketing, testing, maintenance, repair & overhaul (MRO).

• Snecma (formerly Snecma Moteurs)
  • Commercial & military engines, liquid propulsion for space launchers

• Turbomeca
  • Turboshaft engines for helicopters
  • Jet engines for training and support aircraft
  • Turbines for missiles and drones

• Snecma Propulsion Solide
  • Solid rocket motors for launchers, strategic and tactical missiles
  • Thermostructural composite materials

• Techspace Aero
  • Components for aircraft and rocket engines

Other subsidiaries

• Cenco
• Microturbo
• Smartec
• SMA Engines
• Snecma Services Brussels
• Snecma Suzhou
• Snecma Xinyi Airfoil Castings

Aircraft Equipment

The Aircraft Equipment branch groups all design, production, sales and support operations for systems and equipment used by civil and military airplanes and helicopters.

• Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
  • Landing gear design, manufacture, and support
  • Wheels and carbon brakes for mainline commercial jets
  • Braking control and hydraulic systems.

• Aircelle
  • Commercial airplane engine nacelles and thrust reversers

• Labinal
  • Aircraft wiring systems

• Hispano-Suiza
  • Mechanical, hydraulic, electronic and electrical equipment

• Safran Engineering Services
  • Engineering and consulting company

• Technofan
  • Fan designer and manufacturer

Other subsidiaries

Cinch Connectors Globe Motors Messier-Bugatti USA Safran Engineering Services India (SESI)

SLCA Sofrance Technofan Inc. Teuchos Maroc

Defense – Security

The Defense Security branch operates in the civil, military and space markets, and covers the following areas: inertial guidance and navigation equipment (SIGMA INS based on Ring Laser Gyro (RLG) sensors), optronic systems and equipment, avionics systems, UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) systems, air-land systems and equipment, biometric identification systems, secure transaction terminals and smart cards. On July 1, 2009, the European Union approved Safran's acquisition of 81 percent of the GE Security division which produces airport security systems and biometric identification systems.^[3]

• Sagem
  • Technologies and services in optronics, avionics, electronics and safety-critical software

• Morpho
  • Multibiometric technologies, smart cards, secure transactions and identity management solutions

Other subsidiaries

Defense Sagem Avionics Vectronix

Security MorphoTrak (formerly Sagem Morpho):[4] Sagem Orga

Other Safran Conseil

Financial information

Year	2006	2007
Sales (M€)	11,329	12,003
Net income, Group share (M€)	177	406
Cash flow (M€)	1,003	1,221
Self-financed R&D (M€)	334	401

Shareholding structure

At December 31, 2010:

• Public : 47.6%
• State : 30.2%
• Employees : 16%
• Areva : 2%
• Treasury shares: 4.2%

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Annual Results 2010" (PDF). Safran. http://www.safran-group.com/IMG/pdf/Plaquette_31-12-2010_GB_EN_LIGNE.pdf. Retrieved 26 March 2011. 
2. ^ Safran Group organization Safran-group.com
3. ^ Reuters (July 2, 2009)
4. ^ MorphoTrak - A Merger of Leading Biometric Companies Safran-group.com

External links

Companies portal

• Official website