Global aircraft, aerospace and railway painting, sealing and interior manufacturing company Satys has chosen New Castle, Delaware, as the site for its second United States location.
Satys will invest nearly $1.3 million in facility improvements and equipment to establish an aircraft paint facility and training hub in a currently shuttered hangar at Wilmington Airport – ILG that had previously been occupied by Dassault and used in a similar capacity. The facility will serve the business jet market in the eastern United States and Canada.
“Delaware will see many benefits with the news that Satys will grow its aircraft finishing operations right here in our state,” said Governor John Carney. “This will create good-paying, skilled jobs for Delawareans and continued economic activity in the First State.”
Founded in 1986 under the name STTS, Satys is a French and international industrial group active in aircraft painting and sealing and in manufacturing interiors for the air, aerospace and rail sectors. The company employs 2,600 people at 52 sites in 13 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and North America, including a central U.S. site in Oregon, employing a team of managers and “traveling” painters currently assigned to a project in Arkansas and supporting the North America expansion.
Satys plans to create 40 new, full-time jobs in New Castle over the next three years and has expressed interest in potentially hiring former Dassault workers. The jobs will include junior and senior painter positions, managers and quality control personnel, with salaries ranging from $50,000 to more than $90,000.
“With all of the resources and talent needed to grow a global business in the United States, Delaware is a great place for Satys to establish its East Coast facility,” said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. “New Castle County welcomes Satys, and we look forward to seeing the company and its local employees flourish here.”
Satys’s operations at ILG will bring more than $500,000 annually in lease revenue to the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA), which operates the airport. This revenue will support ILG operations and capital improvements as is required by Federal Aviation Administration regulations. In addition, Satys’s location at ILG will expand the fuel service and maintenance work markets for local fixed-base operators in those fields.
“Satys is a global leader in aeronautics painting and surface treatment, and the DRBA is pleased to welcome them to Wilmington Airport,” said DRBA Executive Director Thomas J. Cook. “As the airport sponsor and manager for nearly 30 years, the Authority has worked hard to create an environment for businesses to take flight here. The sky’s the limit at Wilmington Airport, and we look forward to a successful, long-term relationship with Satys.”
Delaware Prosperity Partnership began working with Satys – which was considering locations all along the East Coast, from Florida to Canada – in late 2023 to review sites in Delaware. On Monday, DPP supported the company’s request to the state Council on Development Finance for a Jobs Performance Grant of up to $296,262 and a Capital Expenditure Grant of up to $38,316 from the Delaware Strategic Fund. Distribution of these grant monies is dependent on the company meeting commitments as outlined to the CDF, which reviewed and approved Satys’s request for up to $334,578 in total funding.
“Satys is exited to expand our North American footprint in Delaware,” said Satys North America Director Francisco Sanchez. “We deeply appreciate the support from the State of Delaware and the DRBA as we approach the opening of our aircraft painting facility at ILG. We look forward to welcoming Delawareans to the Satys family, as we are actively recruiting for new positions and providing training to join the Satys Team.”
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About Delaware Prosperity Partnership
Created in 2017, Delaware Prosperity Partnershipis the nonprofit public/private organization that leads Delaware’s statewide economic development efforts to attract, grow and retain businesses; build a stronger entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem; and support private employers in identifying, recruiting and developing talent.
About Satys
Satys is a French and international industrial group, present in 13 countries in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Satys is active in aircraft painting and sealing, engineering and manufacturing interiors for the aerospace and railway sectors. The group also has a surface treatment activity as well as a research & development division in its subsidiary Expiris. The group employs 2,600 people worldwide and has numerous certifications, as well as a unique training center for painters in Toulouse, France.
