New structures

Logisticians for aviation suppliers. Safran has entered into new partnerships in the field of inbound and production logistics. While Ceva Logistics is extending an existing contract, Groupe Idea will take over central functions for the engine business at Bordeaux in the future.

Photo: Adrien Daste / Safran

Both transport and logistics companies are expected to help secure the industrial growth of the French aviation supplier and make supply chains more robust.

Ceva has already served several Safran aircraft engine, helicopter engine and landing systems plants for more than ten years now, including facilities in Bordes, Tarnos, Bidos and Molsheim. The contract, which has now been extended, covers the entire logistics management along the supply chain, from delivery and warehousing to plant supply and returns to digital information processing. More than 100 Ceva employees are directly involved in these tasks in France.

Networking between France and North Africa

One of the key elements in the new arrangement is the extension of operational responsibility to Safran’s business activities in Morocco and Tunisia – which are two strategically important production sites for the company. Ceva uses multimodal transport solutions that combine road transport with ro-ro shipping connections.

After arriving in France, the flows of goods pass through the Ceva cross-dock platforms in Toulouse and Vitrolles before being forwarded to the final assembly plants. The same structure is also used for returns from France. The goal: efficient, synchronised transport processes between North Africa and France.

From summer 2025 onwards Groupe Idea will simultaneously operate as a production logistics company at three French sites – namely in Colombes, Molsheim and Bidos. The mandate includes goods receipt, storage, internal transport, order control and the supply of the assembly lines.

Idea contributes its own solutions for traceability and energy optimisation and relies on a multi-year strategic co-engineering cooperation with Safran.