RELEASE
Consolidation in the aeronautics industry
Merger of the Nexteam and Ventana groups
to create a leading industrial player
Marmande and Narcastet, 6 October 2021 – Nexteam Group and Ventana Group announce their merger to create a leading industrial player serving the aeronautics, space and defence sectors. This project reflects the aim of the shareholders of both groups to create an independent and responsible technological and industrial leader.
The new group created, specialising in the aeronautics, space and defence sectors, will be built on its industrial centres of excellence and the commercial and geographical complementarities of the merged entities. In concrete terms, this complementarity means:
– The diversity of expertise brought together and developed – foundry, mechanical, mechanical welding and surface treatment
– The extended participation in industrial programmes – commercial aircraft, business and military aviation, aeronautical turbines, space launchers, satellites, civil and military helicopters and the main defence programmes,
– The extended industrial presence in Europe and North Africa of the group, close to its customers
This complementarity is also reflected in a strong common culture, born of the heritage of all the entities, the commitment to technical excellence and a strategy oriented towards innovation, digitalisation and environmental and social responsibility.
The planned merger is based on the commitment of the management teams of both groups. Convinced of the recovery of the sector and the positive dynamics brought about by this merger, the shareholder-managers are increasing their level of investment in order to maintain all the financial capacities needed to ramp up the group and thus anticipate the growth phase to come. Ludovic Asquini, Chairman of Nexteam Group, said: ” Our capital strengthening is a guarantee for the teams of the new entity of our confidence in the future. With this merger between two solid market players, which combines complementary industrial skills and a common vision of the role of innovation in our businesses, we intend to play a full part in the economic recovery of the sector.”
This structuring operation will bring together two solid groups in the sector with a view to creating a reference player. The newly formed group aims to quickly return to its pre-crisis consolidated turnover of over €315 million* and thus to rank among the market leaders. For Gérard RUSSO, Chairman of the Ventana group: “This merger, which we have been working on for several months, will contribute to the consolidation of the aeronautical market recently called for by the government and the main players in the sector”.
This project, supported by Nexteam Group’s shareholders**, is part of the dynamic of consolidation of the sector in France which is necessary to strengthen European leadership in aeronautics and to participate effectively in the economic recovery of the sector. As Marwan Lahoud, Chairman of Ace Capital Partners (subsidiary of Tikehau Capital) points out, “we must collectively be able to respond to the sector’s increase in pace by ensuring the continuity of the value chain, and only constructive consolidation operations will enable us to achieve this.”
For Damien Marty, Tikehau Capital, “This merger accelerates the growth plan and the development of Nexteam group. It reflects our desire to support the role that Nexteam Group plays and intends to play in the consolidation of the aeronautical supply chain in Europe.”
The operation will be presented to the employee representative bodies and more generally to all employees.
Key figures for the consolidated group
● Consolidated turnover € 315 million
● 22 production sites
● Presence in 8 countries: France, Portugal, Austria, Sweden, Poland, Romania, Morocco
and Tunisia
● 2400 employees
About Ventana Group
The Ventana Group designs and implements efficient manufacturing processes (V-Solutions) with its three industrial divisions of foundry, mechanics and mechanical welding for high value-added metal components and assemblies. The Ventana group mainly supplies the aerospace, defence and energy industries in Europe and North America. The group has 900 employees in 11 production sites in France, Sweden, Austria, Portugal and Tunisia.
About Nexteam Group
Nexteam Group, created in 2015 from the merger of the family-owned companies Asquini, Gentilin and Sofop, is an intermediate-sized company whose
activities are focused on the design, manufacture and support of mainly metal parts for the aerospace and defence industries. The group employs 1,500 people
at 11 production sites in France, Poland, Romania and Morocco.
* On the basis of the 2019 consolidated turnover
** Tikehau Capital and ACE Capital Partners
Please find the pdf version : Release EN version
