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MAG is an Italian industrial group operating internationally in the aerospace sector. It pursues a leadership position in the market segments in which it is operates.
It was founded in 1995 through a buy-out by private investors and is currently owned by leading institutional investors.
MAG’s targeted investment plan has enabled it to grow over time, underpinned by a foundation of expertise and infrastructure.
Initially strongly focused in the helicopter sector, which remains its primary business segment, the group subsequently diversified into business and general aviation aircraft in the civil sector and training aircraft in the military sector.
MAG followed the general outsourcing trend on the aerospace market, which has seen the main original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) outsource the design, production and management of entire systems in the last twenty years. In its first stage of development, MAG decided the shape it would take was that of a system integrator for the market segments that it decided to compete in, facilitated by the established general industrial background of the businesses it acquired (Nardi Costruzioni Aeronautiche, business units of Agusta, and SIAI Marchetti).
The second stage involved an intensive investment plan for the development of new products, expertise and technologies, enabling MAG to build up and hone its competitive edge over time by participating in innovative industrial projects, developing strategic partnerships with major OEMs or industrial groups that supply sophisticated products in the Aerospace and Defence industry.
The group’s activities are currently organised into two main operating segments which are the result of an iterative process of pinpointing the core business strategies and technologies and determining which organisational tools are needed to achieve them.
Moreover, given the multi-business nature of the group’s products and services, this structure has undergone changes over the years where deemed beneficial and necessary, in line with the allocation of capital, production and technology factors, and the organisational system set up to achieve the targets.
The drivers that currently determine the strategic positioning and competitive policies distinguish between the group’s offer of products and systems that mainly, but not exclusively, target Original Equipment Manufacturers, i.e., aircraft makers, and the provision of services to aircraft makers.
The first operating segment (Aircraft SYstems) is therefore characterised by an offer of products and systems that feature many technologies and mainly targets OEMs.
The ASY segment offers primary technological systems (safety-critical), i.e., landing gear, flight command and actuator systems, damping systems and hydraulic systems.
These systems are installed on specific aircraft platforms by the OEMs.
In technological terms, design, development and production activities are underpinned by a mechanical, hydraulic, electromechanical and electronic skills set that MAG has honed and consolidated over the years, beginning with build-to-print activities through to make-to-design projects for its products.
Integrated landing systems are mostly proprietary and currently include:
- front and main landing gear legs,
- wheels and brakes,
- retraction and extraction actuators (hydraulic and electromechanical),
- command levers and control devices (hydraulic and electronic),
- steering commands (hydraulic, electro-hydraulic and electromechanical),
- antiskid features.
Mainly proprietary integrated flight command and actuation systems include:
- pilot and co-pilot control panels and pedals,
- flight controls (mechanical with bars and levers, electric wire),
- servo-actuators (hydraulic and electromechanical),
- closed-ring controls (hydraulic and electronic).
The purpose of this segment is to ensure customers receive support for the entire life of each product from a dedicated product support area, which also operates under licence for non-proprietary products.
The segment has operating sites in Borgomanero (Novara, Italy) and Laval (Montréal, Canada).
The segment recently acquired new projects for the Bell-Textron FARA and Russian Helicopters VRT-500 in the helicopter industry, for a new business jet in the fixed wing industry and for the Bell-Textron V-247 in the tilt-rotor industry.
The Aircraft SErvices operating segment comprises the Cabin Comfort Systems (“CCS”) and the Aircraft Services (“AS”) business lines, which both operate on applications and services for aircraft that OEMs have already developed.
The Cabin Comfort business line focuses on technological/functional cabin comfort systems sometimes co-designed with OEMs, used in sophisticated cabin management systems which combine fully innovative technologies with existing ones adapted to the aerospace sector.
The main areas of this business line revolve around the key objective of improving cabin comfort:
- noise-vibration reduction systems,
- environmental optimisation systems,
- cabin management systems,
- cabin interiors (utility, offshore, EMS and VIP/VVIP configurations).
The developments of this business line are aimed at finding alternative solutions that meet the need for an improvement in functionalities, the maintenance of parts and systems, and that improve comfort through entertainment and vibration and noise reduction systems.
Some developments are particularly innovative and led to Italian and international patents for design rights stemming from research in the field of soundproofing materials and properties. Others refer to solutions that generate technical content for consumers in the aerospace field (e.g., WAP wrdware products and remote control system), including proprietary software.
MAG also manages the entire production chain (internal and an expert supply chain) for helicopter interiors. In view of its entrance into the business jet market, MAG also handles installation, either at the OEM’s dedicated facilities or its own facilities certified in accordance with EASA Part 145.
These systems are often supplied as kits, which is unique to MAG’s systems offer, and they are differentiated based on the type of customisation (emergency medical service, VIP, corporate and oil & gas applications).
MAG also ensures that this business line’s customers receive support for the product’s entire life from a dedicated product support area.
Operations for this business line are based at the Monteprandone (Ascoli Piceno, Italy) and Philadelphia (PE, USA) facilities.
Unique to MAG’s offer in the area of VIP and VVIP interior customisation, industrial design and stylistic services are also available to complement the business line’s products. These services are offered by MAG Design Studio (Rome) which is focused on the helicopter market but which recent years have seen expand into the area of luxury yachts with the development of some initial applications.
The most recent contracts won by the CCS business line include the Bell Helicopters’ B505 MAGnificent (Textron division) and Airbus Helicopters’ H160 Stylence projects (Airbus division).
The Aircraft Services business line offers a range of air base services (flight, maintenance and overhaul services), more commonly referred to as MRO. It also offers aircraft interiors refurbishment and reconfiguration services in accordance with EASA Part 145.
The activities of the Aircraft Services business line are located in various centres near key customers and generally exploit infrastructures useful for the services, such as regional airports: Monteprandone (Ascoli Piceno, Italy), Vergiate (Varese, Italy) and Philadelphia (PA, USA). Mobile repair stations are also sometimes used. The AS backlog mainly comprises contracts awarded by institutional bodies of the public administration (Italy and the USA) following public tenders or sometimes private negotiations, either directly or as part of joint ventures with leading OEMs.
