The Princess Royal has opened a newly expanded Safran Seats facility.
The expansion at the site in Cwmbran will accommodate teams tasked with developing the next generation of first and business-class aircraft seating.
Safran Seats, which employs more than 1,400 people in Cwmbran and Newport, specialises in designing, developing, manufacturing, and providing in-service support for premium aircraft seating for major airlines.
The Princess Royal greets employees (Image: Aga Tomaszek Photography)
Upon arriving at the Cwmbran site, Princess Anne was greeted by Marie-Odile Descous, executive vice president of Safran Seats GB.
The princess was then taken on a tour of the facilities, where she was shown the advanced production systems for first and business-class seating.
She also viewed Safran Seats’ engineering capabilities.
The tour provided an opportunity for the Princess Royal to meet various employee groups, including recent graduates and apprentices, as well as some of the company’s longest-serving employees.
The tour concluded with the Princess Royal formally opening the expanded Cwmbran facility, which will now serve as a modern workspace for more than 80 staff across the engineering and programme management teams.
The princess reviews the ‘unity’ business class seats designed in Cwmbran (Image: Aga Tomaszek Photography)
Safran Seats’ workforce in South Wales has grown by more than 25 per cent this year, demonstrating the company’s commitment to expanding its operations and supporting future seating projects.
The recent expansion highlights Safran Seats’ ongoing commitment to innovation and growth within the aviation industry, as well as its long-term dedication to maintaining a highly skilled workforce in Wales.
Safran Seats, with more than one million seats equipping the fleets of major airlines, is recognised as one of the world’s leading suppliers of seating for passengers, crews, and helicopters.
The company is known for its innovative and high-value solutions, and it continues to seek new ways to adapt to the market, support airline strategies, and improve passenger experiences.
Princess Anne greets engineering graduates and apprentices (Image: Aga Tomaszek Photography)
The range of seats at Safran Seats offers numerous customisation options, a key differentiation factor for airlines.
Each concept developed by the company undergoes a rigorous series of tests, both in real and accelerated conditions, to ensure their reliability.
The company has ‘solid’ industrial design skills, which enable it to develop exciting concepts and successfully bring them to market.