Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN), a diversified manufacturing company, has entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire a majority stake in France-based Lauak Group. The transaction is expected to strengthen Wipro’s aerospace operations in Europe. The deal, announced at the Paris Air Show, is expected to close in the coming months, subject to customary closing conditions. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The acquisition process has been presented to Lauak’s employee representative bodies as required under French law, and all necessary consultations and approvals have been completed.
Lauak Group, established in 1975, is a family-owned aerospace manufacturer that supplies structural and engine components to major aerospace companies. Its operations include sheet metal work, machining, welding, piping, and assembly, covering both elementary parts and complex assemblies.
Following the acquisition, the business will operate under the name Wipro Lauak. A new Board of Directors will be formed with representation from both Wipro and the Charritton family. Mikel Charritton, the current CEO of Lauak Group, will continue to lead the company.
According to a letter from management to employees, the sale is intended to “ensure the sustainability of the group and to give it the means for its development” in the medium term after the current production ramp-up is completed. The letter noted that “the exclusively family-owned capital and the current debt do not allow for investment in new technologies to meet the required needs or to consider new external growth” to “remain in international competition.” Management has also confirmed that the acquisition will have no impact on Basque employees, and that working conditions and collective agreements will remain unchanged. An official communication from the company is planned for next week.
The Charritton family had been exploring long-term options for Lauak in response to changes in the aerospace industry and increasing international competition. The decision to sell a majority stake follows several months of strategic review.
Wipro Infrastructure Engineering operates in aerospace, hydraulics, additive manufacturing, water treatment, and industrial automation. The acquisition of Lauak is expected to expand Wipro’s manufacturing capacity and aerospace capabilities in Europe.
Lauak Group supplies a wide range of aeronautical parts and assemblies to major aircraft manufacturers and their suppliers. Its customers include Airbus, Dassault Aviation, Embraer, Bombardier, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Safran, Liebherr, and others in the aerospace sector.
The company produces sheet metal, welded, and machined parts for programs such as the Airbus A320, A350, and A380, as well as Dassault’s Falcon aircraft, Embraer, Bombardier, and IAI. Lauak also manufactures aerostructure assemblies for Airbus, Dassault, Bombardier, Daher, Stelia, and Latecoere, and provides tubes, pipes, and fluid systems for Airbus, Bombardier, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), and IAI. Its complex sub-assemblies and assemblies are supplied to Airbus, Dassault, Daher, Bombardier, Safran, and Liebherr. Lauak is also involved in research and development, including composite innovation, for aerospace original equipment manufacturers and Tier-1 suppliers.
As of 2024, Lauak operates 11 manufacturing facilities located in France, Portugal, Canada, Mexico, and India, and employs approximately 1,800 people.