Safran Aircraft Engines announced today the contemplated acquisition of the American company CRT (Component Repair Technologies), a world leader in the repair of aircraft engine parts, based in Mentor, Ohio. By adding CRT, Safran Aircraft Engines will strengthen its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities in the Americas.  CRT, which has over 450 employees, is specialized in the repair of large parts (cases, rotating parts) for the CFM56, LEAP and large turbofan engines. 

“This contemplated acquisition clearly reflects our plans to ramp-up our global MRO network, and we are delighted to be able to rely on the proven expertise of CRT,” said Jean-Paul Alary, CEO of Safran Aircraft Engines. “Our strategy includes major investments at all our current facilities, plus the construction of new facilities. With this ambitious ramp-up, Safran Aircraft Engines will proactively support the rapidly growing global fleet of LEAP-powered airplanes.” 

CRT will perform repair activities in the framework of Safran Aircraft Engines’ shop visits provided to airlines through CFM Services agreements, as well as for other OEM and third-party companies in the MRO market. This new facility will join the five existing repair facilities in the Safran Aircraft Engines network: Châtellerault (France), Ceramic Coating Center (France), Airfoils Advanced Solutions (France), PTI (Florida, United States), Safran Aircraft Engine Services Americas (Querétaro, Mexico). CRT’s operations are fully in line with the strong development of Safran Aircraft Engines’ engine MRO  capabilities in the Americas, as shown by the recent announcement of a new maintenance facility for LEAP engines to be built in Querétaro, Mexico. This acquisition will help us optimize our industrial organization against the backdrop of strong growth in LEAP support services, while significantly reducing our carbon footprint.

“As a long-standing partner to Safran Aircraft Engines, CRT has proven its ability to develop innovative new repair processes,” noted Nicolas Potier, Vice President, Support, Services & MRO at Safran Aircraft Engines. “Adding their capabilities to our network provides a major asset to support our customers’ operations worldwide. It also reflects our industrial strategy of providing a world-class MRO source on each continent.”

The LEAP engine is a huge commercial success, with more than 7,500 already delivered, logging over 50 million flight-hours, and another 10,600 on order. This new-generation turbofan is deployed by nearly 170 operators worldwide. It reduces CO₂ emissions by 15% to 20% in relation to previous generation engines, while also significantly reducing noise. 

The completion of this proposed acquisition remains subject to obtaining the usual regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.