An association to secure supply in the aerospace sector

Aero Excellence International. This is the name of the new association designed to guarantee operational excellence in the international supply chain of the aeronautics, defence and space sectors. Creation of the British (ADS), German (BDLI) and French (GIFAS) aerospace and defence trade associations, the initiative is based on a system of labels (bronze, silver, gold) recognising the industrial maturity of suppliers.

A new set of standards is to be introduced as part of this initiative. It will position suppliers following four stages: commitment, self-assessment, evaluation and certification. Companies will be able to choose their own pace for achieving industrial maturity. This approach includes operational excellence criteria such as the efficiency of production systems, supply chain management, quality and safety. It also includes environmental and cyber security criteria.

In France, more than 100 industrial sites have already been involved in the approach since January 2024. Internationally, companies such as Airbus and Safran have already begun rolling out Aero Excellence assessments in their supply chains in Morocco, the United States, India and China.

A specific governance structure for Aero Excellence International will be put in place from 2025 to support the roll-out of the label and validate potential agreements with other organisations around the world.

 “Aero Excellence International is a synthesis of best practices and field-tested results. As a unique and universally recognised benchmark, it can be used as a genuine operational excellence system and provides the means to progress. It’s a fantastic lever for rapidly strengthening the entire supply chain and making it more robust and agile in the face of crises”, enthuses Frédéric Parisot, General Delegate of GIFAS (Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales), which represents more than 480 organisations in France.

“At a time of growing risks for the global supply chain and in the context of a delicate ramp-up, our European industry has taken an important step today: Aero Excellence International will stabilise the supply chain by increasing transparency and collaboration. This will be beneficial for all players, and can serve as an exemplary standard beyond Europe,” comments Marie-Christine von Hahn, Managing Director of the BDLI (Bundesverband der Deutschen Luft- und Raumfahrtindustrie e.V.), which is made up of more than 260 organisations in Germany.

“Resilience and efficiency in the areas of operational excellence, sustainability and cyber security are essential if our industries are to meet the challenges of the future,” concludes Kevin Craven, Chief Executive of the ADS Group, which brings together 1,400 organisations in the UK.