Aero Excellence Moves Forward with New Milestones at the Paris Air Show

Le Bourget, June 19th, 2025 – At the Paris Air Show, representatives from the French, UK, and German aerospace industries—collaborating under the Aero Excellence International initiative—celebrated the program's progress by awarding recognition to several participating companies. This milestone underscores the industry's commitment to strengthening supply chain resilience, operational excellence, and global competitiveness in the face of unprecedented challenges.

The aerospace sector is navigating a complex landscape marked by accelerated production demands, the imperative to deliver high-quality and safe products on time, and increasing geopolitical and economic uncertainties. These factors necessitate a dual focus: enhancing agility while reinforcing structural robustness across the supply chain.

Aero Excellence™ addresses these challenges by offering a standardized framework for assessing industrial maturity—a first in an industrial sector. Designed collaboratively by and for the sector, this framework facilitates the development of a more predictable, high-performing, and sustainable supply chain.

The program encompasses a four-step process, beginning with a self-assessment and culminating in a Bronze, Silver, or Gold maturity level recognized by major OEMs. It also helps suppliers save time by reducing duplicative requests and administrative workload associated with multiple client assessments.

This approach transitions the supply chain from a fragmented, reactive model to a cohesive system guided by shared standards and a long-term vision.

Aero Excellence serves as a unifying and streamlined initiative, driven by industry stakeholders and grounded in a common operational language. It offers:

• Enhanced performance: By bolstering industrial maturity, companies improve operational quality and efficiency.
• Simplified client-supplier relationships: Reducing administrative burdens and redundancies leads to greater operational fluidity.
• Shared and owned standard: As an industry-led initiative, the framework is collectively owned, fostering widespread adoption across the supply chain.

By providing a pragmatic solution to common challenges faced by suppliers, Aero Excellence acts as a catalyst for improvement, benefiting entities ranging from SMEs to major contractors.

Initiated by GIFAS (France), BDLI (Germany), and ADS Group (United Kingdom), Aero Excellence International association aspires to establish a globally recognized standard. The framework is currently being implemented in several countries, including those beyond Europe, with initial feedback from certified companies affirming its strategic and operational value.

As Aero Excellence International association enters a new phase, efforts are underway to broaden its governance structure and welcome new international partners. The goal is to transform this standard into a global benchmark for competitiveness within the aerospace, space, and defense industries.

During a dedicated session for competitiveness and continuous improvement on the sidelines of the International Paris Airshow, the following sites were highlighted as a ‘best in class’ for their respective countries. The award ceremony also included the award of the first ever Silver in Aero Excellence, the highest level achieved in the programme to date. The companies recognised were:

UK assessments: DENROY (Bangor - Northern Ireland) - Awarded Silver

GER assessments: LIEBHERR (Lindenberg) - Awarded Bronze

FR assessments: SAFRAN NACELLES (Colomier) - Awarded Bronze

Other countries assessments: MAHINDRA (Inde) – Awarded Bronze

“As production rates increase and global pressures intensify, building a mature, resilient, and agile supply chain is not just a goal—it’s a necessity. Aero Excellence International provides a shared foundation that helps us all move faster, reduce complexity, and focus on what matters: delivering high-quality products, on time, in a more secure and sustainable way. At Airbus, we see this initiative as a game-changer for the entire aerospace ecosystem.” – Florent Massou, Executive Vice President Operations, Airbus Commercial Aircraft

“One of Aero Excellence International’s greatest strengths lies in its ability to scale across diverse industrial realities while maintaining consistency. Whether you're a large OEM or a smaller supplier, the maturity grid provides a clear, actionable path forward. The fact that over 600 assessors, from more than 35 different structures, are now engaged in a shared qualification framework shows great diversity. We’re not just assessing, we’re coaching. And that makes all the difference in creating lasting value.” – Craig Askew, Director Manufacturing Operations of Rolls-Royce

“Through open governance and operational committees, we’ve built a system that is both scalable and grounded in local realities. Aero Excellence International aims at building international standards so we are listening to national ecosystems to avoid overlapping with existing standards, and opening constructive dialogue with global bodies such as the IAQG. That’s how we build shared ownership and long-term commitment.” – Gerd Heinzelmann, Managing Director of Liebherr Lindenberg