NSE Automatech, located southeast of Montreal in Granby, Quebec, is a high precision machining, assembly and integration company specializing in complex parts and prototyping activities for the aerospace sector. The company, which employs about 140 people in three facilities near Montreal is a subsidiary of NSE group, which is based in France. In addition to aerospace, its major customer segment, NSE Automatech also serves the medical and transportation industries.
We had the opportunity to interview Francis Archambault, CEO of NSE Automatech, who spoke about the company’s capabilities, differentiation, and future plans.
The company has a diversified client base, including Bombardier, Bell Helicopters, GE Aviation, Zodiac Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Arconic, and Hutchinson in aerospace as well as Zimmer in medical equipment.
NSE Automatech is differentiated by its expertise and flexibility, enabling the company to rapidly deliver prototypes in addition to production materials. Located about an hour outside of Montreal, the company has a strong, stable, and experienced workforce that it combines with the latest technologies in manufacturing automation with internal capabilities for surface treatment, assembly, cable and harnesses, and integration to provide expert solutions for its customers. By having internal capabilities in multiple areas, the company is able to eliminate potential bottlenecks and deliver fully integrated solutions for its OEM and Tier 1 supplier customer base. Surface treatments, including chemical cleaning, FPI, Anodizing, chemical film, NDT, prime and paint, and passivation can all be completed internally.
With expertise in “hard” metals, such as titanium, the company can manufacture engine blades and other components that require the unique blend of capabilities they possess. The company is also in step with today’s information technology and has transitioned from Mac 3.0 to Fab 4.0 for manufacturing data integration, enabling the company to directly build to print from customer IT input. The company has organized itself around work cells and has implemented new automation on a cell by cell basis, enabling a successful transition customer by customer.
Some examples of their products are shown in the photos below, which include both very complex and flight critical components. The following component was made for a satellite, with extremely precise patterns.
The following photo shows a portion of the control system for a Bell helicopter that is produced in Granby.
The company also integrates larger sub-assemblies, as shown in the photo below:
As a small to medium-sized company, NSE Automatech can provide personalized attention to its North American clients, while enjoying the financial strength and backing of a company with revenues in excess of €60 million and 800 employees deployed on five continents.
