They do not have the same reputation as the big names in Quebec aerospace. However, certain SMEs stand out for their ability to respond to the constantly changing challenges of the industry. Several of them stood out this year by winning the Gilles-Demers prizes awarded by Aéro Montréal.

In the shadow of big players like Bombardier, Pratt

In Beloeil, Optima Aéro is experiencing average annual growth of more than 30% by recycling helicopter parts, which it reintroduces to the market as spare parts. The company has just received the Gilles-Demers prize for SME of the year and that of the Growth and wealth creation category, awarded by Aéro Montréal, the aerospace cluster of Quebec.

For nine years, the Gilles-Demers awards have aimed to recognize the leadership and excellence of Quebec aerospace SMEs. These awards were created in tribute to Gilles Demers, former president of the Association québécoise de l’aérospatiale (AQA), which merged with Aéro Montréal in 2012.

“Optima Aéro is experiencing phenomenal growth, having doubled its customer base over the past three years,” observes Mario Longpré, president of the Gilles-Demers awards jury and Canadian leader in the Aerospace and Defense sector at PwC. Optima Aero is doing most of its growth internationally, with a factory in southwest France and another opening this year near Dallas, Texas. “The company is giving itself a leading role at the international level,” welcomes Mr. Longpré.

Ruiz Fabrications Aérospatiales also symbolizes the renewal of the Quebec aerospace sector, with an emphasis on the sustainability of its production. The Laval SME stands out in the market for manufacturing composite parts using 3D woven fibers. “With this process, the parts do not delaminate, which gives them a longer lifespan, in addition to reducing the weight of the parts by 30%,” explains Mario Longpré, who welcomes the SME’s obtaining the prize Gilles-Demers of Commitment to Innovation.

For its part, Groupe DCM stands out with the prize for International Outreach and that for Equity Diversity Inclusion (EDI). With 90% of its customers abroad, the SME based in Saint-Bruno is one of the largest subcontractors of aerostructure parts and subassemblies, in addition to being one of the three main tooling manufacturers. of aircraft maintenance in the world.

DCM Group combines its international development with taking into account EDI issues.

Groupe DCM has adopted an integration policy aimed at the homeless, “which we almost never see”, underlines the president of the jury.

Finally, Calogy Solutions has developed thermal management technology for batteries that keeps them in the optimal temperature range for their operation. This discovery allowed him to win the Gilles-Demers Prize jury’s Favorite. “The company is young, but it can explode in the coming years,” predicts Mario Longpré. Born in 2019, the Sherbrooke SME has already established partnerships with Bell Textron, Pratt

As it turns out, the shadow of the giants of the Quebec aerospace sector also benefits the growth of young companies. “It’s a strength to be a small ecosystem where companies of all sizes are used to working together,” says Mélanie Lussier, CEO of Aéro Montréal. This collective work allows larger companies to support the growth of smaller ones, the latter providing their capacity to respond to changing challenges.

This ability to work together is also reflected on the international level. In June 2023, Aéro Montréal was one of the founding members of the Global Aerospace Cluster Partnership (GACP), which brings together 12 aerospace clusters from around the world with the aim of deepening their collaboration. As a symbol of its attachment to collaboration between different actors, the Quebec cluster would like to bring the head office of this new international organization to Montreal, confides Mélanie Lussier.