Safran Expands Queretaro Hub for A330, 787 Landing Gear

Safran Landing Systems has expanded its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) center in Queretaro by 6,000 square meters, increasing its capacity to service landing gear systems for Airbus A330 Enhanced, A330neo and Boeing 787 aircraft. The expansion reinforces the site's position as one of only three Safran facilities worldwide dedicated to supporting long-haul aircraft landing gear systems.

The additional workshop space will enable Safran to increase operational capacity and meet growing demand for long-haul aircraft maintenance. The company said the investment is part of its strategy to support evolving airline fleet requirements while expanding its MRO footprint across the Americas.

“This gradual expansion into the long-haul aircraft segment, combined with the overall increase in MRO capacity, demonstrates Safran Landing Systems' ability to support the transformation of the aerospace market, strengthen proximity to its customers and establish itself as a long-term strategic partner for operators throughout the Americas”, the company said in a statement.

Querétaro has become a strategic component of Safran's global maintenance network. Alongside facilities in Molsheim, France, and Singapore, the Mexican operation is one of only three global hubs dedicated to providing landing gear MRO services for long-range commercial aircraft.

“Located in the heart of the Americas, the Queretaro center embodies the growth momentum of the Safran Landing Systems MRO network”, the company said.

The facility began operations in 2010 with 80 employees. Today, it employs 375 people and manages the entire landing gear overhaul cycle through integrated inspection, repair and maintenance operations. According to Safran, the site performs major overhauls while supporting airline operators throughout North, Central and South America. 

The center already services the Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737 NG and 737 MAX platforms. With the expansion, it will significantly increase support for the Airbus A330 and Boeing 787, two of the world's most widely operated long-haul aircraft.

According to Nancy Casares González, Director, Aerocluster of Queretaro, the state's aerospace industry is projected to grow 14% in 2026 after posting a similar expansion rate in 2025.

The cluster, which brings together 72 companies, academic institutions, research centers and government agencies, is working to diversify the supplier base and identify new domestic manufacturing capabilities to meet rising demand from aerospace manufacturers and service providers.

"The industry has maintained sustained growth in recent years, and projections remain in double digits," Casares said. 

The positive outlook has been reinforced by a series of investments announced across the state. In 2025, German aerospace supplier Diehl Aviation inaugurated a MX$918 million manufacturing facility in El Marques dedicated to producing overhead storage compartments for the Airbus A220 program.

Bombardier also announced an US$18 million expansion of its Queretaro operations to increase production of fuselage structures, electrical harnesses and structural aircraft components. In December 2025, Safran launched a separate US$48 million expansion of its Safran Aero Composites facility in Querétaro, a project expected to create 268 jobs.

Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony, Safran Mexico President Alejandro Cardona Seemann said the project will add production lines for titanium leading-edge components integrated into LEAP 1A and LEAP 1B aircraft engines.

"This plant currently manufactures fan components for the engine, primarily carbon-fiber blades produced together with Albany, our partner," Cardona said. "The expansion means those titanium leading edges will now be manufactured here instead of being sourced from abroad."

Safran Aero Composites Director Jean-Baptiste Vaney said the project will increase production capacity while strengthening integration with the company's global manufacturing network.

"This new phase will allow us to expand our production capacity," Vaney said. "This expansion is not only an investment in infrastructure; it is an investment in strengthening Querétaro's role within a global industrial ecosystem. It will allow us to collaborate even more closely with our colleagues in France, the United States and other key sites across the group."

Queretaro's aerospace ecosystem continues to attract international investment and new manufacturing programs. According to the Secretariat of Sustainable Development and Aerospace Meetings, manufacturing accounts for 72% of the state’s aerospace activity, while design and research represent 13%, maintenance, repair and overhaul services account for 11%, and specialized activities make up the remaining 4%.

The state also benefits from workforce development initiatives led by the Aeronautical University of Queretaro (UNAQ), which provides technical and engineering education tailored to the aerospace industry's needs. Located on a 20-hectare campus at Queretaro International Airport, UNAQ offers academic programs authorized by Mexico's Federal Civil Aviation Agency.

Safran has operated in Mexico for 34 years and employs more than 15,000 people across 20 manufacturing, maintenance and engineering facilities. The company remains the country's largest aerospace employer, producing engine components, landing gear systems, aircraft interiors, electrical wiring systems and flight-control equipment.