Final paint of the A350 XWB developed by Mapaero, optimizes the weight, fills composite microcracks and reduces the painting lead time.

MAPAERO is a French company created in 1992 (part of MAESTRIA group) and a premium specialist in aeronautical paints.

MAPAERO is a pioneer in the development of water based paint technology used in aeronautics. The research laboratory continues to provide solutions for paints, sealants and other innovative and performant coatings.

Mapaero is renowned for the quality, continuity, simplicity of their paints.

Jean-François Brachotte, president of Mapaero in Pamiers, started very modestly. "Our activity took off through the paint to water", he said. Because water is an advantage; it saves 20% of time and improves the industrial cycle in the final finishing flow of the aircraft.

Mapaero continues its international expansion with the opening of a site in Seattle, close to the headquarters of Boeing.

SQIP Golden Award for Best Improver in 2013. 

MAPAERO was awarded in December by Airbus Procurement with the SQIP Golden Award for Best Improver among their 47 strategic Materials & Parts suppliers.

"Airbus asked all its suppliers to optimize the weight on the A350, and we contribute to our level," assures Jean-François Brachotte, president and founder of the company with 100 employees and 17 million euros of turnover. "A single layer, which contributes to weight reduction", he explained.

The new paint developed for the A350 cockpit is without solvents -therefore more ecological- and it has welcome anti-glare properties in a cockpit. Additionally it is "auto-texturizing"; "Usually to get a grainy look you need to apply a first layer, let dry and later project drops of paint. Now everything is done in one operation, and this saves time in production", says Eric Rumeau, General Manager. Mapaero has signed an exclusive contract with Airbus for this painting.

Beyond the cockpit, the composite structures of the A350 has no issue with corrosion but in case of fire the paint must prevent the spread of fire and reduce the release of toxic fumes. New Mapaero painting also takes into account some microcracks of composite parts; "Our solution is to first apply a first layer acting as developer, which reveals all the cracks”, said Jean-François Brachotte. “Then, we apply a special sealant which fills the cracks and later we apply the final coat". After 8 years of R&D, this paint has been qualified by Airbus to be used in the A350 XWB.

Based on the article “Mapaéro : Brachotte peint le ciel” published in La Depeche