CPE News (11/5/2021) – Fonds de solidarité FTQ and Export Development Canada (EDC) have invested $15 million in ABIPA International, a new group formed by Abipa Canada Inc. and the French company Groupe ARM.
Abipa Canada has been backed by Fonds de solidarité.
As part of this transaction, which closed on November 1, 2021, all Groupe ARM shareholders have joined Abipa shareholders in the capital of Abipa Canada Inc., the parent company of the new group.
As a result of this transaction, the group’s main shareholders are now Fonds de Solidarité FTQ, the Couillaud family, Jean Blondin, Ace Capital Partners, a subsidiary of Tikehau Capital, IRDI Capital Investissement, and EDC.
Based in Boisbriand, Quebec, Canada, Abipa specializes in high-precision machining, mechanical assembly and kitting of specialized metal components (aluminum, titanium, inconel, steel) for aircraft engines, landing gear and structural parts. Its products are intended for its international customer base of major contractors and integrators. The company’s state-of-the-art CNC equipment consists of robotic multi-machine cells, multi-axis machining centres, lathes, mill-turns, laser cutting machines and a NADCAP-certified welding cell.
Based on four sites in France and a strategic site in Morocco, ARM Group is a leading player in today’s market of subcontracting in precision machining for the aeronautics industry.
The new group provides an ideal balance between two strong geographical areas in the global aeronautics sector, North America and Europe, as well as its strategic location in North Africa. It now has significant critical size, with turnover in excess of CAD 100M, which will enable it to continue its growth and development with its 400 employees and its industrial presence spread over six sites and three continents, in Canada, France and Morocco.
Jean Blondin will continue to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer and Ludovic Couillaud will join Abipa Canada’s Executive Committee as Executive Vice-President and General Manager Europe and Morocco.
photo credit: Abipa Canada
Global Aeronautical Supply – Abipa Canada and ARM Group Join Forces to Form an International Major Player in Precision Machining
BOISBRIAND, QC and LA CHAUSSÉE D’IVRY, France, Nov. 5, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ – The Canadian company Abipa Canada Inc. and the French ARM Group announced today their strategic alliance, in the presence of Eric Girard, the Québec Minister of Finance and Member of the National Assembly for the division of Groulx. Under the banner “ABIPA International”, the new aeronautical group becomes a key player on an international scale in the sector of machining and assembly of sub-sets. This initiative will give both companies new development prospects through the creation of an international group of critical size, enabling them to ensure the development of their activities and maintain their expertise on their various sites.
This transaction is the outcome of a common vision shared by the two companies in their aim of pursuing their growth and diversification together, responding to significant market demand from major OEMs and equipment manufacturers to consolidate the supply chain. Financially strong and ranking among the most successful companies in the industry on either side of the Atlantic, Abipa Canada and ARM Group have complementary customer bases and products and participate in the leading aircraft programs.
The new group thus formed provides an ideal balance between two strong geographical areas in the global aeronautics sector, North America and Europe, as well as its strategic location in North Africa. It now has significant critical size, with turnover in excess of CAD 100M, which will enable it to continue its growth and development with its 400 employees and its industrial presence spread over six sites and three continents, in Canada, France and Morocco.
As part of this transaction, which closed on November 1, 2021, all Arm Group shareholders have joined Abipa shareholders in the capital of Abipa Canada, the parent company of the new group.
Fonds de solidarité FTQ, as well as Export Development Canada (EDC), are investing a total of CAD $15 million in equity as part of a balanced capital structure with management. As a result of this transaction, the group’s main shareholders are now the Fonds de Solidarité FTQ, the Couillaud family, Jean Blondin, Ace Capital Partners, a subsidiary of Tikehau Capital, IRDI, and EDC.
Jean Blondin will continue to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer and Ludovic Couillaud will join Abipa Canada’s Executive Committee as Executive Vice-President and General Manager Europe and Morocco.
Quotes
“We are proud to have been able to complete this important transaction thanks to the support of our long-standing partner, the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, and Export Development Canada. This strategic operation, which enables us to move up the value chain of our customers as a strategic supplier and expand our industrial offer, gives us great confidence in the future of Abipa International.”
-Jean Blondin, President and CEO of Abipa Canada.
“ABIPA Canada is a leader in aeronautics that creates many good jobs here. With this strategic transaction, they will become key players in its sector on an international scale. By supporting the company, we are reaffirming our government’s commitment to supporting this important sector in Quebec.”
-The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Quebec Lieutenant
“We are delighted to be able to bring this new, broader and more international offering to our customers. Backed and supported by all our financial partners, with the recognized human and industrial skills of ARM Group and Abipa, the new Abipa International group is equipped for every opportunity for success in its future developments.”
-Ludovic Couillaud, President of ARM Group
“The Fonds de solidarité FTQ’s support for this transaction is another step in our support for Abipa Canada’s international growth, initiated with our first investment in the company in 2012. The alliance with ARM Group will create a global aerospace leader with operations in North America, Europe, and Africa. We are particularly proud to be able to count on support for this transaction from EDC, a regular partner of the Fonds for over a year.”
-Janie C. Béïque, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fonds de solidarité FTQ
“EDC is proud to support the international growth of the specialized intermediary market manufacturer Abipa. Its strategic alliance with the ARM Group expands its global presence. Thanks to investments from EDC and the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, Abipa has obtained the capital it needed to conquer new markets and establish itself as a leader in the aerospace sector.”
-Carl Burlock, Executive Vice-President and Chief Business Officer of EDC.
“As shareholders of the ARM Group since 2013, we are delighted with this alliance between the Abipa and ARM groups, which have strong commercial and industrial synergies. This transaction demonstrates Ace Capital Partners’ ability to support strategic industrial companies in all phases of their development and particularly in their international development.”
-Delphine Dinard, Executive Director of Ace Capital Partners
“We are very pleased to have been able to support Ludovic Couillaud and his teams for nine years, and then to participate in this great alliance of the ARM Group with Abipa Canada. This will enable both groups to further strengthen their respective positioning in Europe and North America by responding in an emblematic way to the main challenges of the aeronautics sector: diversification in terms of expertise, outlets and geographies, added value provided to customers, and critical size.”
-Étienne Robequain, Investment Director of IRDI Capital Investissement
About Abipa Canada
Based in Boisbriand, Quebec, Canada, Abipa specializes in high-precision machining, mechanical assembly and kitting of specialized metal components (aluminum, titanium, inconel, steel) for aircraft engines, landing gear and structural parts. Its products are intended for its international customer base of major contractors and integrators. The company’s state-of-the-art CNC equipment consists of robotic multi-machine cells, multi-axis machining centres, lathes, mill-turns, laser cutting machines and a NADCAP-certified welding cell.
About ARM Group
Based on four sites in France and a strategic site in Morocco, ARM Group is a leading player in today’s market of subcontracting in precision machining for the aeronautics industry. The company supplies major contractors in the aeronautics sector with parts, components and sub-assemblies for nacelles, aerostructures, pilot and passenger seats, and various aircraft equipment. Thanks to a dynamic investment policy, the company is equipped with a modern industrial infrastructure and know-how that is diversified by the variety of materials used, the different machining technologies mastered, the management of complex assemblies of sub-sets, the technicality of its products and the multiplicity of special process qualifications obtained.
SOURCE ABIPA Canada
For further information: Quebec / Canada: Malika Paradis, TACT, Cell: (+1) 418 933-2593, mparadis@tactconseil.ca; France: Stephane Chevalier, Rumeur Publique, Cell: (+33) 6 26 63 69 08, stephane.chevalier@rumeurpublique.fr