What AD Industries does

AD Industries, now operating as Motherson Aerospace, is a French industrial group founded in 2004 and headquartered in Brive-la-Gaillarde, specialized in mechanical, hydraulic, and composite engineering for the aerospace and defense sectors. The company operates 11 complementary production sites across France (Brive-la-Gaillarde, Liévin, Serres-Castet, Gurmençon, Chavignon, Chevry-Cossigny) and the Maghreb (Tangier and Casablanca in Morocco, La Marsa in Tunisia), organized into five divisions: Hydraulics, Mechanical Assemblies, Composites, Sheet Metal, and Industrial Business. Core technical capabilities include autoclave composite manufacturing (up to 6m), multi-fiber laser drilling, hydroforming, SPF, robotic TIG/MIG/laser welding, plasma spraying, and micrometric multi-sensor dimensional metrology, supported by EN 9100, NADCAP, Part 21 G, and Part 145 certifications across relevant entities.

The company operates as a tier-1 supplier to aerospace engine OEMs and defense primes — Airbus, Safran, Dassault, Rolls-Royce, General Electric, ITP Aero, Latecoere, Thales, and MHI — delivering components and sub-assemblies for engines (fuel injectors, ramps, lubrication pumps, tanks, combustion chambers), aerostructures (sheet-metal subsets, landing-gear doors), hydraulics (cylinders for landing gear and engine equipment, flight-test instrumentation tubes), and composites (ballistic armor, radomes, satellite thermal panels). Approximately 80% of activity is aerospace, with the balance in defense, medical imaging composites, automotive metrology, and energy. Revenue is generated through quote-based multi-year supply contracts via direct enterprise sales, with supplementary AOG spare-parts and reverse-engineering services. The group also operates the Zero Defects quality program and AD'Lean continuous-improvement methodology across all sites.

AD Industries was previously owned by Stirling Square Capital Partners (majority) and BPI France (minority), and was acquired by India's Samvardhana Motherson International Limited (SAMIL) via its parent SSCP Aéro Topco, with the transaction announced October 2023 and completed in Q1 2024. Following the acquisition, the business was rebranded Motherson Aerospace and integrated into the Motherson Group's global footprint, while the prior distribution entities (AD Member Supply and Alliance Distribution Partners) were divested to ORS Nasco in March 2026. Evrard Willemaers serves as President.

Name

AD Industries

Legal name

Motherson Aerospace

Website

https://ad-industries.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

AD Industries (now Motherson Aerospace) is a French tier-1 aerospace supplier providing mechanical, hydraulic, and composite engineering components and assemblies to OEMs including Airbus, Safran, Rolls-Royce, and GE, operating 11 specialized production sites across France, Morocco, and Tunisia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brive-la-gaillarde

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Aerospace Components Manufacturing: Design, industrialization, and serial production of mechanical, hydraulic, and composite components for aerospace engines and defense systems. Revenue generated through long-term supply contracts with tier-1 aerospace OEM contractors.
2. Industrial Services: In-service support, spare parts manufacturing, reverse engineering, and emergency spare parts (AOG) services for aerospace applications
3. Medical and Industrial Composite Products: Production of composite parts for medical imaging equipment sector including radiographic tables, mammography cassettes

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AD Industries designs, industrializes, and serial-produces mechanical, hydraulic, and composite components and assemblies for aerospace engines and defense systems. Operating across 11 specialized production sites in France, Morocco, and Tunisia, the company supplies tier-1 OEMs (Airbus, Dassault, Safran, Rolls-Royce, GE) through long-term contracts covering the full product lifecycle from co-engineering and prototyping to series production, in-service support, and AOG spare parts.

Product overview

AD Industries, now operating under the Motherson Aerospace brand, is a French-headquartered industrial group founded in 2004 and acquired by Samvardhana Motherson International Limited (SAMIL) in 2024. The company is organized into five core divisions — Hydraulics, Mechanical Assemblies, Composites, Sheet Metal, and Industrial Business — spanning 11 specialized production sites across France and the Maghreb (Morocco and Tunisia). The Hydraulics division encompasses Motherson Aerospace Hydraulics (injectors, hydraulic cylinders, lubrication pumps) and Motherson Aerospace Tubes (rigid pipe assemblies for fluid transport). The Mechanical Assemblies division covers machining, turning/milling, welding, and non-destructive testing across three entities (Brive, Tunis, Casablanca, and Machining). The Composites division produces thermosetting and thermoplastic composite parts for aerospace engines, nacelles, structures, ballistic armor, and space applications across entities in Liévin and Tangier. The Sheet Metal division delivers complex sheet metal fabrications (tanks, cooling ramps, combustion chambers, structural subsets) across entities in Serres-Castet and Casablanca. The Industrial Business division covers Medical Composites (radiology tables, mammography cassettes, C-Arm for medical imaging) and Exameca Mesure (flexible dimensional measuring machines for automotive and aerospace metrology). All divisions operate under a Zero Defects quality program and an AD'Lean continuous improvement methodology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Motherson Aerospace Hydraulics Specialized in the design of hydraulic assemblies and injectors for aerospace engines, including fuel injectors, hydraulic cylinders for landing gear and engine equipment, and lubrication pumps. Covers the complete product lifecycle from design to in-service support for aerospace engine OEMs.
• Motherson Aerospace Tubes Specialized in the design and manufacture of rigid pipes equipped for the transport of all types of fluids, and instrumentation for flight tests. Provides assistance across equipment development, series production, and spare parts (including reverse engineering and emergency AOG spare parts).
• Motherson Aerospace Mechanical Assemblies Multi-entity division providing machining, combined turning/milling, plasma spraying (metallic and thermal barrier), assembly via TIG/plasma/laser welding (including robotic installation), non-destructive testing, and stress-relieving heat treatment under argon atmosphere. Serves aerospace engine and defense OEMs.
• Motherson Aerospace Composites Multi-entity division specialized in the design and manufacture of high-performance composite products for aerospace engines and nacelles, structures and equipment, ballistic armor, and space. Uses thermosetting and thermoplastic materials with long and short fibres and core materials (honeycomb and foam). Also provides replacement and repair of composite parts.
• Motherson Aerospace Sheet Metal Multi-entity division specialized in fine sheet metal work and complex machining. Produces mechanically welded tanks for engines, cooling ramps, degassing tubes, turbojet combustion chambers, engine turbo nozzles, complex structural subsets, and business aircraft landing gear doors.
• Motherson Aerospace Industrial Business Multi-entity division covering non-aerospace sectors, including Motherson Aerospace Exameca Mesure (dimensional measuring machines) and Motherson Aerospace Medical Composites (composite parts for medical imaging equipment such as radiographic tables, mammography cassettes, and C-Arm components).

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero Defects program targets: less than 100 ppm exported non-quality
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Carbon WatersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Project SPIRIT - Satellite Panel with Improved Reflectance and Innovative Thermal-Conductivity, in partnership with CNES for thermal management optimization.
• ALTYTUD Aeronautical ClusterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Regional aerospace cluster in Hauts de France promoting competitiveness, business perspectives, and skill development.
• Almeco GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject SPIRIT partner for satellite panel development with CNES support.
• CNESminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench space agency supporting Project SPIRIT for satellite thermal management solutions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Figeac Aero: French aerospace tier-1 subcontractor specializing in precision machining, sheet metal work, and mechanical assemblies for aerospace OEMs. Highly comparable profile to AD Industries with similar customer base (Airbus, Safran) and tier-1 supplier status.
• Mecachrome: French aerospace precision machining and assemblies company serving major engine OEMs (Safran, GE, Rolls-Royce). Directly comparable to AD Industries' Mechanical Assemblies division with similar tier-1 supplier profile and aerospace engine focus.
• LISI Group: French aerospace fasteners and structural components manufacturer (LISI Aerospace division). Comparable to AD Industries as a French tier-1 aerospace supplier serving Airbus, Safran, and other major OEMs with certified precision components.
• Latécoère: French aerostructures manufacturer supplying Airbus and other OEMs with structural components. Comparable to AD Industries' Sheet Metal and Mechanical Assemblies divisions serving similar aerospace tier-1 customer base.
• Aubert & Duval: French aerospace alloys and precision forged parts manufacturer serving Safran, Airbus, and other OEMs. Comparable to AD Industries as a French tier-1 supplier with deep aerospace expertise and similar certification requirements.

Broad incumbents

• Howmet Aerospace: Large US-based aerospace components manufacturer specializing in engine components, fastening systems, and aerospace structures. Broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities in aerospace engine components comparable to AD Industries' Hydraulics and Mechanical Assemblies divisions.
• TransDigm Group: Large US aerospace components manufacturer with proprietary sole-source products for aircraft and engines. Broad incumbent serving similar aerospace OEM customers with high-margin specialty components.
• Triumph Group: Large US aerospace components manufacturer specializing in aerostructures, mechanical systems, and aftermarket services. Broad incumbent with comparable tier-1 aerospace supplier profile serving similar OEMs.
• Daher: French aerospace and logistics company with aerospace manufacturing capabilities serving Airbus, Safran, and other OEMs. Broad incumbent with comparable French aerospace tier-1 supplier profile and multi-disciplinary capabilities.
• Spirit AeroSystems: Large US aerostructures manufacturer supplying Boeing, Airbus, and other OEMs with major structural components. Broad incumbent with comparable tier-1 aerospace supplier profile and structural components focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adindustrie
• Xx.com/industries_ad

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AD Industries