Safran Aero Boosters on August 28th, 2023, held a significant event – the laying of the first stone for their new aircraft engine compressor blade plant, Safran Blades, located on a former ArcelorMittal site in the Province of Liège, Belgium. This event marked a major step in the creation of a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for aircraft engine components. The project is a collaboration involving various entities, including Belgian and Walloon federal authorities, Wallonie Entreprendre (WE), and the Belgian Federal Holding and Investment Company (S.F.P.I.M), with Safran Aero Boosters as the majority shareholder (56%).
The ceremony was attended by several notable figures, including Willy Borsus, Vice-President of Wallonia, Thomas Dermine, Secretary of State for Recovery and Strategic Investments, and Christie Morreale, Minister for Employment. The creation of Safran Blades was initially announced in December 2022 by François Lepot, CEO of Safran Aero Boosters, and involves an investment of €50 million.