GIFAS programs

To tackle the challenges of the French aerospace industry and maintain its world-renowned quality, GIFAS has used its role as a multi-disciplinary trade association to launch four major programs: one in research and innovation with CORAC; “Ambition PME-ETI” for strategic support; “Performances Industrielles” for operational excellence and “Industrie du Futur” to facilitate preparation for new technologies.

A fifth program, “Aéro Fab Emploi”, was launched in early 2020 to improve sector attractiveness and provide support for training.

This program, with GIFAS partners such as Bpifrance, aims to boost the competitiveness of companies in the aerospace industry. Inaugurated in 2017, this selective and targeted program provides 85 SMEs and mid-sized businesses with both personalized and general support consisting of:

•  a strategic evaluation to identify their priorities for growth and their consulting needs, so they can create roadmaps for their HR, digital and international objectives, among others;
•  themed training courses to help them reflect on their strategy;
• connections with major actors in the aerospace industry and other relevant industries of excellence to foster opportunities for growth.

The list of orders for the aeronautics industry keeps breaking records. To successfully navigate these increasing demands, sector businesses ranging from very small to intermediate-sized must be able to produce more and step up the pace. This is why GIFAS, along with the French government and regional executives, the UIMM (Union of Metallurgies Industries) and manufacturers, have launched the "Performances Industrielles" program. This program is intended to enhance supply chain performance in terms of on time delivery and quality, and streamlining the buyer-supplier relationship, with the ultimate goal of fortifying industry competitiveness and improving working conditions. Additionally, it aims to develop and capitalize on jobs in the industry. 

This collaborative program helps large buyers and subcontractors of all sizes (very small to intermediate-sized) to make progress together, within regional clusters of six or seven companies. Within this setup, it is possible to diagnose local needs and focus on fulfilling them. Standards are shared and objectives are as well. In parallel, the association SPACE (Supply chain Progress towards Aeronautical Community Excellence), the architect of the program, provides training to all types of players within the supply chain. 

The first phase of the program (2014-2017) was a success: over 6,000 days of support and over 5,000 days of training were provided. Four hundred and one SMEs, working k with 69 buyers, took part. Ninety-seven percent of the SMEs saw a significant improvement in performance as measured by one of the following criteria: on-time deliveries, length of delays, and quality. Overall, the program generated very significant improvement in supply chain performance: over 10 points better in terms of on-time deliveries. 

Since 2017, 317 SMEs and 54 buyers have been involved in the most recent phase of the program. The preliminary results show a 30% reduction in non-performance, according to indicators defined for the industry by Qualifas.

The three-year program “Industrie du Futur” was launched in 2019 and is financed by French national and regional authorities, the OPCAIM (a body that collects training funds for metallurgy professions), companies themselves and GIFAS. Its goal is to increase competitiveness within the sector by introducing Industry 4.0 technology. This program is the fruit of close cooperation between bodies of GIFAS : Industrial Committee, GEAD (Equipment Committee), and Aero-SME Committee. Its objectives are in the same vein as those of “Performances Industrielles”. The program focuses on helping small, medium-and mid-sized businesses adopt new digital and production technology for every life stage of a product. It has four main themes:

1. Obtaining the trust and commitment of higher management.
2. Supporting SMEs as they perform self-evaluations, create a roadmap and take their first steps toward digital transformation.
3. Strengthening collaboration between buyers and suppliers.
4. Improving the security of information and production systems.

This 18-month coaching program is offered to companies with a certain volume of business in the field as well as a “confirmed” level of industrial maturity and an interest in Industry 4.0. The 300 companies selected will receive support during the first steps of their digital transformation as well as during their deployment of cross-functional industry tools (AirSupply, AirConnect and AirCyber).