In order to reach the goals set out in its Flight Path 2030, FACC has defined five strategic pillars: people, innovation, integration, diversification and globalization. The Group will continue to develop in a targeted manner in all five areas, thus paving the way for sustainable success in the future.
People
The expertise and commitment of FACC’s workforce form the basis of the company’s entrepreneurial success. The Group offers its employees an attractive workplace in a high-tech company as well as numerous opportunities for professional and personal development, in all areas and for all qualification levels, from apprentices to university graduates, and for new recruits with a logistics or manufacturing background. This is made possible by the wide range of training and further education programs offered by the FACC Academy, including communication and leadership training as well as intercultural awareness training and language courses. In addition, FACC attaches particular importance to apprenticeship training, offering a wide range of supplementary programs in addition to its vocational training such as driving and English courses. To date, FACC has received several prestigious awards for its apprenticeship training. The fact that approximately 50 percent of the company’s apprentices in technical programs are women is particularly gratifying.
In addition to internal and external educational programs, FACC also relies on close collaboration with secondary vocational schools, universities and universities of applied sciences. In addition to various cooperative partnerships, this also includes scholarships at the University of Applied Sciences in Wels. With its commitment to training and further education, the Group not only secures know-how and innovative strength, but also
positions itself as an attractive employer for young talents in a highly competitive labour market.
As an employer, FACC also has a lot to offer its current employees: A wide range of training courses, job rotations, stays abroad, regular feedback meetings, employee canteens, comprehensive health programs, childcare as well as numerous other perks make FACC a highly sought-after employer.
Innovation
Innovative strength and an openness to new approaches and ideas are firmly embedded in FACC’s corporate identity. With its lightweight solutions, the company has played a major role in shaping the development of the aircraft industry over the past decades. Approximately 25 percent of the Group’s workforce are involved in research, technology and engineering with a focus on investigating new materials and continuously developing new, improved production processes. In 2021, the Group’s research quota amounted to 9 percent of revenues.
Over the next five years, FACC will be investing approximately EUR 150 million in growth, research and development activities. The focus will be on new materials and processes as well as on sustainability in production.
Integration
With its in-house production of input materials and hybrid components, FACC aims to become more independent and increase its added value while offering its customers improved product solutions. The company is therefore pursuing a strategy of systematic forward and backward integration, thus offering complete solutions for the entire life cycle of its products: from design and manufacturing to maintenance and repair.
In the coming years, vertical integration is to be increased even further. Besides the production of components and systems for aircraft, FACC is currently focusing on metal processing. In late 2020, FACC launched VIMM (Vertical Integration Metal Machining), an in-sourcing program for the processing of aluminium parts, which had previously been procured exclusively from external suppliers.
Since the first quarter of 2021, 100 percent of the components for key products of the Engines & Nacelles segment are already being manufactured under this program. At the beginning of 2022, series production was launched for various additional aluminium components for new projects awarded in 2021. Cost savings of 10 to 30 percent compared to external procurement were set as a target, and also successfully met.
Diversification
FACC boasts technological competencies and know-how, which it also intends to use outside its core aerospace business. On this basis, the company intends to develop completely new fields of business in the coming years. It has already gained a firm foothold in the areas of aftermarket services for civil aviation and Urban Air Mobility. Since 2021, FACC has also been working on its first contract in the space market. All three areas hold considerable growth potential in the medium and long term, and thus many new opportunities for FACC.
Globalization
FACC not only offers its customers optimal lightweight solutions, but has also established a global presence with its plants, subsidiaries and partnerships, thus making it easily accessible. In recent years, the Group has continuously expanded its global footprint, most recently by establishing a production plant in Croatia, and another MRO facility in the United States. For more information on FACC’s new locations, please consult the News 2021 section of this Report.
In addition to its five plants in Austria, the company’s network thus includes a production plant in Croatia as well as service units and agencies in Asia, Europe and North America.
