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Aubert & Duval

MaterialsIssy-les-Moulineaux, FranceFounded 1907· One of 961 Materials companies tracked by AMPulse

Develops high-performance metallurgical solutions and metal powders for critical aerospace and defense components, utilizing advanced atomization and forging processes.

CEO / Founder
Etienne Galan
Team Size
1001-5000
Stage
Public
Total Funding
Publicly Traded
Latest Round
Acquired
Key Investors
Airbus; Safran; Tikehau Capital

Technology & Products

Key Products

High-performance alloys; Superalloys; Titanium parts; Powder metallurgy components; Metal powders for AM; Forged parts

Technological Advantage

Maintains a dominant market position as the world #2 in closed-die forged aerospace parts and #3 in titanium parts, with a vertically integrated process protected by 370 patents.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Provides high-performance alloys and metal powders that meet extreme stress requirements, reducing supply chain risk for critical industries through integrated production from melting to powder atomization.

How They Differentiate

Differentiates through massive industrial scale and upstream control of the metallurgy value chain, providing specialized powders for AM that meet aerospace-grade certification standards.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Aerospace and defense OEMs, energy infrastructure providers, and medical device manufacturers.

Industry Verticals

Aerospace/Defense; Energy; Medical; Motor racing; Industrial tools

Competitors

Carpenter Additive; Sandvik Osprey; Hoganas

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Revenue of €962M; 4,400 employees across 10 operational sites.

Major Milestones

1907: Company founded; 1957: First European vacuum furnace for superalloys; 1975: Introduction of powder atomisation; 1977: Commissioning of 65 kt press; 2018: Launch of GALAAD atomisation tower; 2022: Full ownership of UKAD titanium joint venture; 2023: Acquisition by Airbus, Safran, and Tikehau Capital

Notable Customers

Airbus; Safran; General Electric; Boeing; Siemens; Air Liquide; EDF; FRAMATOME; TECHNICATOME; NAVAL GROUP; CEA

https://www.aubertduval.com

Why this company matters

Aubert & Duval occupies a distinctive position in the additive manufacturing materials market as a vertically integrated metallurgy group that controls the full value chain from melting to powder atomization and closed-die forging. Founded in 1907, the company operates at a scale that few AM powder producers can match, with 4,400 employees across 10 sites and annual revenue of €962 million. Its market position as the world number two in closed-die forged aerospace parts and number three in titanium parts provides a foundation for its growing role in metal powder supply for laser powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition processes.

The company's technological advantage centers on the GALAAD atomization tower, commissioned in 2018, which produces high-purity metal powders for additive manufacturing. Aubert & Duval also operates a 65-kiloton closed-die forging press, one of the largest globally, and introduced powder atomization as early as 1975. The company holds 370 patents covering superalloys, titanium alloys, and powder metallurgy components. This intellectual property portfolio protects processes for producing materials such as Inconel 718 and Ti-6Al-4V that meet aerospace-grade certification standards.

Primary customers include Airbus, Safran, General Electric, Boeing, and Siemens, as well as energy infrastructure providers like EDF and FRAMATOME. The company serves aerospace and defense OEMs, energy infrastructure providers, and medical device manufacturers. Applications span critical components for aircraft engines, landing gear, nuclear power systems, and motor racing parts where extreme stress requirements demand consistent material properties. The integrated production model reduces supply chain risk by eliminating intermediate suppliers between melting and final powder or forged part delivery.

Aubert & Duval was acquired in 2023 by a consortium of Airbus, Safran, and Tikehau Capital, with $107.5 million in total funding. This ownership structure aligns the company closely with two of its largest aerospace customers, creating both strategic stability and potential competitive friction with other OEMs. Key partnerships include the UKAD titanium joint venture, EcoTitanium for titanium recycling, and the SQuAD additive manufacturing consortium. Competitors include Carpenter Additive, Sandvik Osprey, and Hoganas, though none match Aubert & Duval's combination of forging scale and AM powder production under one roof.