Business Case
Assessing three diversification industries for a machining site
SURFEO compared the aeronautics, naval defence and nuclear industries to guide the diversification of a French machining site.
01 · Context & challenges
Aligning machining capabilities with the requirements of three industries
French manufacturing represents €815bn of output and 2.838 million salaried jobs in 2025 [1]. The industries targeted offer very different volumes and requirements.
The French subsidiary of an international industrial equipment group wanted to diversify the workload of a machining site.
SURFEO conducted three sector studies in France and matched market needs, machinable parts and industrial capabilities.
Industries studied
Aeronautics, naval defence and nuclear.
Decision angle
Understand each value chain, then test the compatibility of the parts and requirements with the industrial facilities.
Aeronautics, naval defence and nuclear.
Decision angle
Understand each value chain, then test the compatibility of the parts and requirements with the industrial facilities.
02 · Our intervention
Compare the industries, then turn capabilities into market outlets
01
Decode the industries
Analyse the market, organisation and workings of each sector.
02
Qualify the requirements
Document the technical and industrial expectations for access.
03
Match the parts
Identify the parts compatible with the machining capabilities.
04
Test the field
Gather feedback from prospects and project the market outlets.
03 · Key figures
Three markets studied through the same capability lens
3sector studies conducted
3French industries compared
1industrial site at the heart of the analysis
2workstreams: market and industrial compatibility
04 · Market
Three dynamic industries, three distinct access requirements
Economic benchmarks for the industries
Different scales. 2025 benchmarks, GIFAS, GICAN and France Industrie [1][2][3].
Aeronautics
The French industry generated €85.6bn in turnover in 2025 [2].Naval
The naval industry exceeded €17.1bn in 2025 and had 59,100 direct jobs [3].Defence
The 2024–2030 Military Programming Law (LPM) provides €413.3bn for the French armed forces [4].05 · Outcomes
An initial commercial projection based on the site’s capabilities
A first level of understanding of the three industries and their requirements.
Identification of the parts that the site could potentially machine.
Field feedback from discussions with potential prospects.
Commercial projection of the outlets compatible with the site’s capabilities.
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Sources
- [1] France Industrie, “Tableau de bord mensuel”, 2025 figures. https://www.franceindustrie.org/tableau-de-bord-mensuel/
- [2] GIFAS, “Key figures”, 2025 data. https://www.gifas.fr/en/key-figures-page
- [3] GICAN, Cahier économique de l’industrie navale 2025, data reproduced in 2026.
- [4] French Ministry of the Armed Forces, “Chiffres clés de la Défense 2025”. https://www.defense.gouv.fr/chiffres-cles-defense-2025
- [5] SURFEO internal project sheet, sole source for the assignment facts and outcomes.
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