For Aeroform France, a small company based near Lyon, 2017 has got off to a very fast start. The company — which specializes in autoclaves and other composites processing and repair equipment — had already booked five orders from major customers in the aerospace sector in the first three months of the year.

CEO Franck Martel is optimistic, as the orders confirm the healthy prospects for the company in view of its status as a specialist in the production and maintenance of composites for aerospace and defence applications. These activities account for 80% of company sales.

Martel notes that with the production ramp-up of new aircraft like the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 — both featuring widespread use of composite materials — along with the entry into service and initial maintenance checks on these aircraft, demand is expected to be strong. This trend also explains why 33% of the company’s sales are with export customers, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, i.e. regions with the strongest air transport market growth prospects and in which the company is well represented.

Aeroform France focuses on the design, production and marketing of thermal processing equipment for composite materials. Activities are equally divided between production equipment, retrofit and maintenance of associated control systems, and equipment required for composite repairs. Customers include Airbus, Dassault, airlines and MRO providers, as well as universities and research centres.

Along with autoclaves, Aeroform France offers a range of equipment for curing of carbon fibre prepreg (ovens, vacuum membrane presses, thermoforming presses, etc.) in a wide range of sizes (up to 4m diameter).

Another strong point of Aeroform France is that all autoclaves are equipped with a high-performance control system housed in a separate cabinet. Parameters inside the controlled-atmosphere chambers can be tightly controlled at pressures up to 40 bar and temperatures up to 450°C, thanks to the company’s patented, Nadcap-approved Aeroform France Autoclave Control System (AFACSTM).

The company derives one-third of sales from maintenance and replacement of these systems, which need to be replaced once during the 30-year service life of the autoclave.

Aeroform France also offers a comprehensive range of tools and equipment required for surface and subsurface repair work on composite structures.