Latécoère to acquire Bombardier’s Querétaro EWIS business

French company Latécoère will acquire Canadian firm Bombardier’s electrical wiring interconnection system (EWIS) assets in Querétaro, Mexico, for $50 million in cash.

Annual revenue is anticipated to be around $80 million. Approximately 700 skilled employees manufacture EWIS at the facility. The transaction is subject to customary conditions and approvals and is expected to close in the first half of 2020.

Under a long-term agreement, Latécoère will continue to supply the EWIS for all Bombardier Aviation platforms, including Global, Challenger, and Learjet aircraft from the current location.

The sale will not impact the remainder of Bombardier’s operations at its Querétaro campus, which will continue to produce major structures for Bombardier aircraft, such as the aft fuselage for the Global family of business aircraft – including the company’s flagship Global 7500 jet – the most complex aircraft component manufactured in Mexico.

“This acquisition reflects our willingness to emerge as a leading player in the global consolidation movement in the aeronautics sector,” said Yannick Assouad, CEO of Latécoère. “We keep deploying our manufacturing footprint on an international scale with a strong desire to strengthen our presence in the areas closest to our customers,” she added.

“This agreement exemplifies Bombardier’s focus on streamlining its activities to foster a strong and efficient aviation franchise,” said Paul Sislian, Chief Operating Officer, Bombardier Aviation. “With Latécoère’s reputation for excellence, this new partnership will result in a winning combination for both our companies.”

Latécoère is a Tier 1 partner to major international aircraft manufacturers (Airbus, Embraer, Dassault, Boeing, and Bombardier), in commercial, regional, corporate, and military aircraft markets, specializing in:

• Aerostructures (58% of total revenue): fuselage sections and doors
• Interconnexion systems (42% of total revenue): onboard wiring, electrical, harnesses and avionics bays

As of Dec. 31, 2018, Latécoère employed 4,958 people in 13 different countries.

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries.