Our History

Since its creation in 1980, SPI has worked for the railway sector and has figured amongst the first ranked sub-contractors for Airbus Nantes, on composite components. This partnership, to which many others have been added, has grown along the years and at every stage of SPI’s business growth. The qualifications and certifications obtained, as well as a constant adaptation of both work floors and equipment to customer requests, have enabled SPI to always meet the needs of industries in the fields of aeronautic, railway, naval or industry and soon in that of new energies.

As from 1985, the naval activities began, whilst the railway business was developing swiftly.

In 1989, SPI workfloors were transferred between Nantes and Saint-Nazaire, to Malville and the first SPI work floor was opened. Since this transformation, SPI Malville has become the unique European center for the Airbus radomes. The Naval sector expanded significantly in 1990, with the arrival of clients such as Goïot, BJT, JSP and Team Plastic.

The 1995-2000 period is marked by the obtaining of ISO 9001 and EN 9100 qualifications, and the opening of the second SPI work floor, one dedicated to large-sized aircraft components and units, with painting booths of over 55 and 72 feet long.

In 2001, naval activity increased in production, with the Queen Mary 2 construction site. All cruisers launched from Saint-Nazaire carry with them numerous components executed thanks to the skills of SPI skills.

The customer in situ aeronautic activity began in 2004, as did Hydro Painting (Rotterdam Citadis Tramway contract).

In 25 years, SPI has become a company which has evolved and has developed its business. Since the 1990’s, we work for customers such as Airbus, Boeing, Spirit, Alstom, STX or ATR, on composite, but also on multi materials, be it on elementary components or certain sub-assemblies, for various painting applications, coatings and seals.

2010 and the following years witnessed an intensive activity in the naval business, with, amongst others, a significant involvement in the construction of MSC Preziosa.

From 2012, SPI’s development and proficiency materialized through a high level of involvement in the processes of engineering and development of methodologies, leading to workshop reindustrialization, developing concepts of innovative solutions accompanied by significant investments supported by SPI.

Within the framework of the Stelia Aerospace Méaulte contract, a structure including a 100-staff team became operational in 2014. This new implementation demonstrates SPI’s ability to integrate an existing customer structure, to define all the methods, and of totally managing their application and development.

2014 was the year that also saw the creation of the third work floor, in Malville. With new capacities and a tool symbolizing the group’s ambitions and solidity, SPI confirms its presence in the industrial paint market is developing resources integrating new technologies and the implementation of the Lean process organization.

In 2016, The Société de Peinture Industrielle integrated ACOS Solutions by an external expansion operation. The Bordeaux-based company brought with it its specific skills, for example aircraft and aero-equipment painting.

The union of these two major actors in the field of aeronautics and industrial painting allows SPI to operate in the fields of military and civil aeronautics, business aviation, in-situ and ex-situ, new and MRO.

SPI is implemented on 13 industrial sites, and has watched its capacities evolve significantly, with a constant development growth at national and international levels.

Since January 2017, SPI is a member of the GIFAS. (Grouping of French Aeronautical and Space Industries)