We are advising Sabena Aerospace and Stéphane Burton on Andera Partners’ investment in Sabena Aerospace Holding, the holding company of Sabena Engineering, alongside SFPIM, the Belgian sovereign fund. SFPIM renews its commitment to the company’s development through this transaction, allowing Sabena Engineering to continue its international development and to strengthen the resources required to accelerate its growth, in support of its civil and military clients.
This change in the shareholder base of Sabena Aerospace Holding is intended to support a new stage of growth for Sabena Engineering. It will allow the company to continue its geographic expansion, strengthen its industrial capabilities and accelerate the development of its high-value-added services. Its priorities include the digitalisation of maintenance operations and the deployment of advanced data management solutions incorporating the latest artificial intelligence technologies, to offer clients services that are increasingly efficient, responsive and secure.
A former technical division of the Belgian national airline Sabena, Sabena Engineering has, over the decades, become a long-standing international provider of aeronautical maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services. Operating today from its historic bases in Brussels and Charleroi, as well as through more than fifteen locations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the company supports airlines, government operators and air forces in their most demanding missions.
In this context, Andera Partners joins Sabena Aerospace Holding, the holding company created by Stéphane Burton during the 2014 management buy-out, alongside the management team and SFPIM. Drawing on its experience supporting growing industrial companies and completing international development and external growth transactions, Andera will bring Sabena Engineering complementary expertise to support its long-term ambitions.
This change also reflects the now distinct paths taken by the companies previously grouped within Orizio Group. Sabena Engineering continues its development under a new shareholder structure, with dedicated resources to accelerate its growth and strengthen its international presence.
For clients, partners and employees, this change means continuity, backed by greater strength. Sabena Engineering’s activities, teams, locations, certifications and operational structure remain unchanged. The company now has additional resources to continue its investments, develop its talent and build closer relationships with clients internationally.
With the joint support of SFPIM and Andera Partners, Sabena Engineering intends to accelerate its development, through both organic growth and targeted acquisitions, to broaden its service offering, strengthen its international presence and consolidate its position among Europe’s established players in aeronautical maintenance.
Company profile:
Sabena Engineering is an independent, international provider of maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade (MRO&U) services for the civil and military aviation sectors.
In civil aviation, the company provides maintenance, engineering and technical support services to airlines and operators worldwide. In defence, it delivers maintenance, upgrade, engineering support and operational readiness services across a wide range of platforms, including the F-16, A400M, F-35, MQ-9B, PC-7, E-3 AWACS and Textron SkyCourier.
A prime partner to the Belgian Ministry of Defence for more than 50 years, Sabena Engineering is also a strategic partner to NATO, allied air forces and major industrial groups such as Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and Airbus Defence.
With more than 900 employees, the Group generates revenue of close to €180m, holds industrial assets in Belgium and Morocco, and operates across 15 international airports and military bases.
