Spotlight on the ramp-up: employees share their experiences

“Here at the Safran Aircraft Engines site in Le Creusot, the ramp-up is primarily impacting our resources and organization. In 2017, a new 4,000 sq.m. workshop integrating Industry 4.0 capabilities came on-stream. To keep pace with the LEAP ramp-up , we invested in 12 autonomous machining units, together with palletization robots. These machines operate at night, without the need for operators, enabling us to boost productivity without staff having to work night shifts. This Industry 4.0 organization means we’re ready for the ramp-up, all while improving workplace wellbeing. Jobs are changing, too, with people increasingly given the opportunity to grow in their chosen field. For example, a lathe/milling machine operator who works on an automated machine can acquire machine supervisor skills. For younger, digital-savvy employees, it’s a great way of helping them feel more fulfilled and making the workplace more attractive. These investments in Industry 4.0 technology and the changes they bring are a major source of motivation for our teams. The ramp-up is an exciting challenge for everyone – it will allow us all to grow in our roles!”

“Since the start of my career twenty years ago, I’ve always worked in purchasing, in both the automotive and aerospace industries. Today, as Commodity Manager at Safran Cabin, my job is to define and promote our purchasing policy for the parts we require, and in particular electrical and electronic components. This involves identifying suppliers capable of meeting our needs and then maintaining trust-based relations with them, while keeping costs under control. For Safran Cabin, the ramp-up represents a hefty challenge due to the global chip shortage as a result of lingering Covid-related disruptions and ongoing geopolitical tensions. Anticipating our needs as much as possible and finding the best solutions gives suppliers enhanced long-term visibility. This includes providing suppliers with production forecasts to ensure that we in turn can meet our commitments to customers. This is our main priority today! Another task is to improve purchasing terms and conditions for key suppliers through long-term contracts.”

“The pandemic-related economic crisis didn’t really affect Safran Data Systems. We’ve continued to grow by around 5% per year, requiring us to constantly raise our recruitment targets. For example, we created over one hundred jobs at Les Ulis alone in 2021 – not bad for a site with a permanent workforce of around 350! Our activities are growing apace, so we’re constantly on the lookout for highly technically skilled people in areas where demand is strongest. With the recent boom in the job market, we’re up against a lot of competition. We need to simplify and shorten our recruitment processes so that we can attract top talent and at the same time retain our key skills.”