- In Toulouse, the turbulence experienced by Airbus due to coronaviruses worries far beyond the aircraft manufacturer's factories.
- The aeronautical capital maintains a real dependence on the manufacturer.
- The many subcontractors are weakened in the first place, but also the economic health of the entire Pink City.
"When Airbus sneezes, it's all Toulouse that catches a cold." The well-known adage in the European aeronautical capital has never had more burning news. With the coronavirus crisis, Airbus, the local flagship on which the economy of the Pink City is so dependent, has reduced its production rates by a third and no longer conceals that the difficulties are ahead with planes still grounded and permanently restrained air traffic. Especially since the Toulouse and Occitan ecosystem also works for the rival Boeing, which has already announced the loss of 16,000 jobs.
“Airbus purchases amount to around five billion euros per year for subcontractors in Occitania. In total, in aerospace, subcontracting represents around 86,000 jobs, "underlines Alain Di Crescenzo, the president of the regional chamber of commerce and industry (CCI).
"Companies are going to disappear"
And everyone expects a storm. "We know that we have three to five complicated years," says Philippe Robardey, president of the CCI of Toulouse. The man who is also the boss Sogeclair, a high-tech aeronautical engineering company, is convinced that "companies will disappear". In particular those which were already weakened before the crisis and work mainly for commercial aeronautics. "And others will have to restructure or leave the sector," he adds.
"All jobs will not be preserved", if aeronautics does not restart quickly, also fears Yann Barbaux, president of Aerospace Valley, the competitiveness cluster of the aeronautical sector.
Christophe Cador, boss of Satys, a Blagnac company specializing in aircraft painting, talks about a “phenomenal air hole” in which we will have to “be able to adapt and ready to go again”. His company is working at “50-60%” of its capacity at the moment.
Other sectors threatened by contagion
In Toulouse, the shock could extend beyond the aeronautical sector. In hotels, restaurants or services for example. “We have an overall industry and service ratio of 2.5, explains Philippe Robardey. If 20,000 jobs were threatened in the sector, a total of 50,000 could turn it around.
Hence the alarms given in high places by the elected officials like Carole Delga (PS), the President of the Region and Jean-Luc Moudenc (LR), the President of Toulouse Métropole, who requests the launch of a new aeronautical program highlighting "the challenges in terms of French and European sovereignty".
Our file on the coronavirus
A message already partly heard. Bruno Le Maire, the Minister of the Economy, announced the review of a plan to support the aeronautics and automotive industries. Sunday, Gérald Darmanin, the Minister of Public Accounts indicated that "the State will be there for Airbus", if necessary. By contagion, it is all the Pink City which could need it.
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