2009/08/26 > eTech France 230 > SUNAERO, A Small French Business Exporting its Technology to the USA

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		Special Report SUNAERO, A Small French Business Exporting its Technology to the USA http://www.bulletins-electroniques.com/actualites/60214.htm A small French business has exported its technology to the United States and received US Air Force Certification! As it is something that seldom ever happens, it deserves an explanation. SUNAERO Vice President Thierry Regond recounts below the amazing story of a small business from the Lyons region, which designs, develops, and produces technological solutions for leak detection, rapid sealant curing, and emergency aircraft repair. Interview by Jean-François Desessard BE France - How was SUNAERO born? Thierry Regond - From the merger of two small firms: SUNAERO, a Lyons based business specialized in fast aircraft sealant and paint polymerization; and HELITEST, a Bordeaux based company specialized in leak detection using helium (thus the corporate name) as a tracer gas. Both firms were doing business on the same market segments so they had the same R&D approaches. The merging process was gradual as first contacts date back to 1995 whereas the merger became official in 2005. From then on, SUNAERO could offer a range of products covering two separate fields, i.e., leak detection and fast repair, both based on a common outlook - optimizing maintenance to deal with leaks. BE France - Can SUNAERO now offer a global optimized solution ranging from leak detection to repair? Thierry Regond - Absolutely. We mainly use helium, which is the the most neutral gas, to detect leaks. This tracer gas has the advantage of not interacting with other existing molecules, specifically the sulfur molecules in the fuel and forestalls any corrosion hazards whose consequences are dramatic in aviation. For large capacity tanks, some operators use helium mixed with oxygen for fast tank penetration. Once the entrance point (or points) have been detected, sealant removal can begin, a tricky stage that is often carried out in poor conditions. So, we have developed a pneumatic device that can remove a sealant from its base without damaging it and hand-operated solutions for problem areas. SUNAERO has heat-reactor technology using powerful infrared emissions for the fast sealant polymerization stage. We engineered the technology thanks to support from the Délégation Générale pour l'Armement (DGA, French Weapons Procurement Agency). We produced the first models of the device during the first Gulf War. Since then, every French air force and air & sea base is fitted with the system. The advantage of the technology, which we keep optimizing, is to polymerize sealant and pressure seals in optimum conditions and record time. Then the repair has to be checked. We have engineered solutions to check that the tank is leakproof before the fuel is loaded. Overall, repairs - from leak detection to the final check after repairs - that used to take 72 hours or more, only take 8 hours with our solutions. BE France - How did your American venture get started? Thierry Regond - The company had a commercial outlet in the United States. But to go further, we had to develop a full facility in the US. So, we decided to 'duplicate' the SUNAERO model in AEROWING, an US company based in Nashville, Tennessee. We own 88% of the its shares and our US partner owns the rest. Since last year, most of the equipment for the America Zone is manufactured in Nashville. We obviously had to make (sometimes sweeping) changes to ensure the success of our 'American venture'. For instance, we split our design & engineering office in two. It now has 8 people in France and 9 in the United States. Several people, including SUNAERO President, have moved to the Nashville area. 2008 saw huge changes, involving an enormous effort throughout the company. Not to mention that we had to continue developments. However, we are beginning to see the results of our strategic choices. For instance, AEROWING has received US Air Force Wide Approval for its full product range that now has a US National Stock Number. Meanwhile, SUNAERO has also logged more orders. BE France - What's SUNAERO's next stage? Thierry Regond - The business will continue developing according to a model wherein the R & D and design part will be kept and developed, which means increasing the staff at our design & engineering offices and handling manufacture in partnership with other firms. That is why we rely on a solid partner network in France and the USA. SUNAERO will be have up to fifty employees scattered between our French and US centers within three years. Today we have an edge over our competitors. However, we have to speed up our technological developments and increase patent filing. That is why we are always conducting four or five R & D projects at the same time. We have filed a patent on the repair of deep composites, which should lead to the industrialization of new equipment with the support from the DGA.	>> Suivant Version imprimable >> Transmettre cette info par email >> Recommander ce site à un collègue / ami >> S'abonner au eTech France >> FAQ / foire aux questions >> Conditions d'utilisation >>


	Pour en savoir plus, contacts :	SUNAERO - Thierry Regond - Phone: +33 (0)4 72 08 12 12 - email: tregond@sunaero.com - http://www.sunaero.com	Code brève ADIT : 60214

	Rédacteur :	ADIT - Jean-François Desessard - email: jfd@adit.fr


	Origine :	eTech France numéro 230 (26/08/2009) - ADIT / ADIT - http://www.bulletins-electroniques.com/actualites/60214.htm

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