JJGK and ARES are recognized for choosing Istres as the launchpad for their growth

Awarding of the "Invest in Provence" labels to JJGK AERO and ARES-Aviation at the inauguration of the Aerosud exhibition

JJGK AERO and ARES Aviation, two young companies operating in the civil and military aeronautics sector, selected the famous Mercure hangar in Istres as a base for their operations because of its proximity to two major customers: Airbus Helicopters and French Air Force Base 125. On July 5, 2022, at the second edition of Aérosud, both companies, which are making significant financial and HR investments, were honored by Provence Promotion at a special event in Istres.

It was a highlight of Aérosud, the aeronautics, space and defense exhibition, when François Bernardini, Vice President in charge of aeronautics for the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis and Mayor of Istres, and Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region, awarded them the "Invest in Provence" distinction as part of the opening ceremony. This distinction highlights two SMBs that believed in Istres as a bridgehead and bet on the re-emergence of the 5.5-acre Mercure hangar at the Jean Sarrail aeronautics cluster.

ARES-Aviation and JJGK AERO both specialize in the maintenance and operation of civil and military aircraft. Respectively, they occupy 65,000 ft2 and 118,000 ft2 in the Mercure Hangar. Both small businesses were drawn to the land capacity of the site, its isolation from local residents and, above all, its proximity to renowned prime contractors such as Airbus Helicopters, Safran, Dassault and French Air Force Base 125.

ARES-Aviation, formed by the 2022 merger of STDS in Nîmes Garon and Secaero in Valence, runs a unique business responding to the present and future needs of the military by organizing operational training for its forces. "We have nine Aermacchi MB 339 combat trainers and we are actively working to finalize the acquisition of a dozen Mirage 2000s to round out our offering in a sector that is already commonplace in the United States and is now taking off in Europe: RedAir, which simulates airborne threats (air-to-air, air-to-sea and air-to-ground). We use fighter aircraft to train armed forces by playing the role of the aggressor in the most realistic and accurate conditions possible," says Olivier de Cernon.

The Deputy COO of ARES-Aviation saw the Mercure hangar as an exceptional location to develop ARES-Aviation operations and to maintain and operate its aircraft. "Its strategic positioning allows us to build close relationships with major aerospace manufacturers. We are setting up a design office in Istres to upgrade our aircraft. We plan to hire 50 to 60 people," adds Olivier de Cernon, who announced a major fund-raising round that will be vital to growing the business. He also expressed the company's aim to weave itself into the local economic fabric by working with the UIMM training center in Istres and the Ministry of Defense Mobility Department.

Aeronautical maintenance takes flight in Istres

JJGK AERO is just as excited to have established a foothold in an area that is destined for growth, and has invested €1.5 million to support the lift-off of its maintenance services targeting H225 helicopters in their civil and military (Caracal) versions.

JJGK AERO (the name comes from the initials of the first names of the four founders' children) is only three years old but already has an impressive order book through 2026. The company, which has earned Part 145 certification, was the brainchild of four renowned experts in military aeronautics, offshore, aerial works and medical transport: Michel Augen, Sébastien Vistel, Jean-Claude Laget and Alexis Tierny. The capital-intensive business required the installation of a stripping shop and a painting shop, with the promise of at least 50 permanent jobs created by 2025.

"We were hesitating between here and Dijon, but our minds were made up after our first site visit in 2019 with the Provence Promotion team. The growth projections for the aeronautics industry are "off the charts". We are close to Airbus Helicopters in Marignane. The airport and the Aix TGV train station make it easy for our staff to travel abroad and the Port of Marseille-Fos plays a major role since helicopters are shipped in containers all over the world,", stresses Alexis Tierny, one of the four partners, conveying how pleasant it was to work with Provence Promotion, the Istres municipal government, SAFE Cluster and the Jean Sarrail aeronautical cluster.