Airbus SE and Safran SA will take full ownership of critical aerospace materials supplier Aubert & Duval, buying out alternative asset management group Tikehau Capital to secure a vital European supply chain link.

In a joint press release issued on June 25, 2026, the companies announced a binding agreement that will see Airbus and Safran equally divide Tikehau Capital’s stake. The transaction transitions Aubert & Duval to full aerospace industry ownership, culminating a three-year turnaround phase that began when the consortium originally acquired the struggling supplier from French mining and metallurgy group Eramet on April 28, 2023.

Financial turnaround and operational scale

The exit of Tikehau Capital follows a period of significant financial growth for the materials supplier. According to historical data reported by PE Hub, Aubert & Duval was generating approximately €550 million in annual revenue at the time of the 2023 acquisition. Following a major transformation led by the three shareholders alongside the supplier’s management team, current annual revenue has grown to approximately €960 million.

The supplier operates at a massive industrial scale, employing approximately 4,400 staff across 10 industrial sites, eight of which are located in France. Aubert & Duval specializes in forged parts and complex metallic materials, including specialist steels, superalloys, titanium, and aluminum. These materials are essential components for aerospace, defense, energy, and healthcare applications.

Securing the European aerospace supply-chain

The acquisition consolidates control of a critical European industrial asset. By taking direct ownership, Airbus and Safran aim to secure the supply of critical materials required for future aerospace programs and stabilize production rates across the sector. The move strengthens European industrial sovereignty in an era of constrained global supply chains.

The press release noted that the transition to full aerospace ownership also supports broader industry decarbonization efforts, specifically highlighting initiatives such as titanium recycling. Completion of the acquisitions remains subject to standard regulatory approvals, and specific regulatory authorities reviewing the transaction were not named in the initial announcement.

AirPro News analysis

We view this transaction as a clear indicator of the ongoing shift in aerospace manufacturing strategy. Major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are increasingly moving away from purely transactional supplier relationships in favor of direct ownership of critical supply chain nodes. By absorbing Aubert & Duval entirely into the aerospace ecosystem, Airbus and Safran are insulating their production lines from geopolitical material shortages and market volatility. The exit of Tikehau Capital suggests the initial financial stabilization phase is complete, allowing the industrial partners to focus purely on long-term material security and production ramp-ups rather than financial restructuring.

Sources: Airbus

Skyservice Business Aviation has expanded its maintenance network by securing Bombardier Authorized Service Facility (ASF) designation for its Vancouver International Airport (YVR) location.

Announced in a press release on June 24, 2026, the authorization extends Bombardier’s certified maintenance coverage to Canada’s West Coast. The designation provides operators of Bombardier Global and Challenger Private-Jets with regional access to factory-approved technicians and rapid-response support.

Establishing a transcontinental support network

The Vancouver addition marks the third Skyservice facility in Canada to receive Bombardier ASF status. The YVR location joins the company’s existing authorized sites at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL).

The expanded authorization allows the Vancouver facility to provide scheduled MRO, mobile repair team dispatch, and rapid-response support specifically tailored for the Bombardier Global and Challenger business jet families.

“This is an important milestone for both our organization and the customers we serve together with Bombardier,” said Benjamin Murray, President and Chief Executive Officer of Skyservice. “Expanding our Authorized Service Facility network to Vancouver strengthens coast-to-coast coverage for Bombardier operators.”

Strategic importance for trans-Pacific operations

Vancouver serves as a primary gateway for trans-Pacific business aviation traffic. The presence of a factory-authorized facility on the West Coast reduces the need for operators to position aircraft eastward for certified maintenance events or warranty work.

Anthony Cox, Vice-president of Customer Support at Bombardier, highlighted the operational benefits of the expanded Partnerships for the manufacturer’s customer base.

“Strong regional service collaborations are essential to delivering the high standards of support Bombardier customers expect,” Cox stated. “This strategic expansion enhances service coverage in a key region for both Bombardier and Skyservice’s customers.”

The ASF designation follows Skyservice’s ongoing efforts to broaden its technical capabilities for Bombardier airframes. The maintenance provider recently secured European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) approval for Gogo Galileo HDX inflight connectivity installations on Challenger 604, 605, and 650 aircraft.

AirPro News analysis

We view the Vancouver ASF designation as a logical geographic plug for Bombardier’s North American support network. While Toronto and Montréal cover the high-density eastern corridors, the lack of a dedicated West Coast Canadian ASF previously left a gap for operators transiting between North America and Asia. By leveraging Skyservice’s existing infrastructure at YVR, Bombardier secures critical Pacific Rim support capacity without the capital expenditure of building a new wholly-owned service center.

Sources: Skyservice Business Aviation

On June 22, 2026, JAMCO Corporation announced its participation in a Japanese government-backed consortium aimed at establishing an end-to-end supply chain for recovering and reusing carbon-fiber reinforced plastic from retired Commercial-Aircraft.

In a press release issued by the company, JAMCO detailed its role in the “Project for Building a Circular Economy Industry for Next-generation Aircraft,” an initiative launched by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The project seeks to address the impending influx of composite waste as older generation aircraft reach the end of their operational lifecycles, overcoming the stringent aerospace certification hurdles that have historically limited the reuse of recycled composites in aviation.

Consortium partners and project scope

The NEDO-led initiative brings together major Japanese aerospace and research entities. Alongside JAMCO, the consortium includes Subaru Corporation, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Japan Fine Ceramics Center (JFCC), and Nagoya University. The group aims to create a circular economy for carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), a material prized for its high strength-to-weight ratio that reduces aircraft fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

JAMCO will focus specifically on the application of recycled CFRP for aircraft interior components. The company stated it will participate in developing a substrate-forming process to convert recycled materials into usable forms. JAMCO is also tasked with evaluating the properties of these recycled materials, defining the strict requirements for their use in aircraft cabins, and conducting demonstration testing using actual aircraft.

The growing aircraft recycling market

The push to recycle aerospace-grade composites aligns with broader economic shifts in the commercial aviation aftermarket. The commercial aircraft disassembly and recycling market is valued at $9.67 billion in 2026, according to Market-Analysis from Invrecovery. Driven by post-pandemic fleet restructuring and the rising operating costs of older airframes, the sector is projected to grow at a 6.20 percent compound annual growth rate, reaching $15.64 billion by 2034.

Historically, the aviation industry has struggled to recycle CFRP effectively due to the degradation of material properties during the recovery process and the rigorous Safety standards required for flight. The NEDO project builds upon previous research initiatives involving Nagoya University, JFCC, Subaru, and JAMCO that focused on the fundamental technologies required to make CFRP recycling viable for aerospace applications.

AirPro News analysis

We view the successful recycling of aerospace-grade composites as one of the most significant Supply-Chain hurdles facing the next generation of aircraft Manufacturing. While metals like aluminum and titanium have established end-of-life recovery pathways, the complex resin and fiber matrices of CFRP have largely relegated retired composite structures to landfills or low-grade industrial downcycling.

By targeting aircraft interiors rather than primary load-bearing structures, JAMCO and its partners are pursuing a pragmatic entry point for recycled composites. Interior components require stringent flammability and toxicity certifications but do not face the same extreme structural fatigue cycles as wings or fuselages. If this consortium can prove the viability of recycled CFRP in cabin applications, it could establish a regulatory and industrial template for broader composite reuse across the commercial aviation sector.

Sources: JAMCO Corporation