SICMA (Industrial and Commercial Society of Aeronautical) was founded on October 19th, 1944 by Mr. Robert Georges Maréchal. The company began its activities with tank assembly and upholstery of planes wings (Dassault).

In the 60s, SICMA sets up an assembly line for cabins Alouette (military helicopter), and works then in subcontracting on plans of the Mirage III from 1959 till 1984. The company also creates metal and plastic skis workshop then water-skiing, all known under the brand "SIM'S" during more than a decade (brand with which J.C. KILLY walked away with 3 gold medals during the 1968 winter Olympic Games).

 

Up to the 70s, SICMA turns gradually to a specialization in the aeronautics as subcontractor. It makes passenger and pilot seats for Bloch (that will become Dassault Aviation), banisters luggage rack, rest post for crews and other cabin development for Air France and Lufthansa.

With the new airliners marketing such as Caravelle (1st airliner with short and medium haul), Douglas DC 9 then Concorde, SICMA is getting specialized in conception and manufacturing passenger seats.

The company is still improving getting more experimented staff, so it obliged to change its premises, amd move to "rue Lucien Coupet".

In 1971, SICMA its corporate name and becomes Sicma Aero Seat. With this new identification, it takes place as specialist among the most important seats manufacturers in the world.

In 1977, Sicma Aero Seat opens its first subsidiary in the USA : SICMA AMERICA, to get closer to the American market and notably to the aircraft manufacturer : Boeing.

In the 80s, the production explodes, and the exports market expands considerably. Sicma Aero Seat concretizes its positioning on passenger seats market manages its production towards upscale seats.

In 1987, the company opens a new unit for crew seats manufacturing (hostess, pilot...) "rue de Verdun" at Issoudun.

In 1993, Sicma Aero seat joins ZODIAC, world number 1 in the aeronautical domain. It keeps improving its productive potential by employing more staff, by investing in new equipments (fire test lab, dynamic, static and cyclic test bench) and by installing new premises at "la Limoise".

 

In the 2000s, Sicma Aero Seat gathers many sectors such as R&D, assembly, bench test, quality to allow a higher flexibility and facing their products evolution. It invests in a new manufacturing equipment such as FMS "Flexible Manufacturing System" : machines with digital controls which integrate all the last technologies for the high speed machining "UGV".

In 2001, the company opens a subsidiary in the Middle East, in Dubai, baptized Sicma Aero Seat MIDDLE EAST.

In 2004, the headquarters joins the site of "la Limoise". Sicma Aero Seat is composed by 5 facilities among then 4 in Issoudun : 

The site of "la Limoise" : Headquarters, engineering, R&D, customers and products support, test lab, assembly, thermoforming, sales, PART 21...

Route de Thizay, a crew seats unit : conception, production, assembly...

Avenue de Verdun : a repair station and upholsteruy competency center, PART 145...

Lucien Coupet : machining, sheet metal, maintenance, tooling, surface treatment...

And one in "Issy-les-Moulineaux" : Zodiac Aerospace headquarters, customers account, sales...

In 2005, Sicma Aero Services sets up numerous support centers are implemented around the world : TGermany, Brazil, China, the United Arab Emirates, the USA... for an actual total of 11.

In 2006, Sicma Aero Seat obtains certifications EN 9100 and ISO 9001. The same year, an assembly line is created in Seattle to increase its capacity.
 

In 2007, a new production unit it established in Tunisia, specialized in thermoforming and sewing.

In 2008, ZODIAC changes its name to : ZODIAC AEROSPACE. Sicma Aero Seat obtains certification ISO 14001, which concerns our environmental politic.

 

Today, our companycounts among its customers, numerous international companies such
 

Andaircraft manufacturers such as :

 To stay always different from the other, each airline companies is searching innovation, comfort and service improvement. Space, weight, ergonomic, features and design are major criteria for these companies.

To answer their demand, Sicma Aero Seat proposes a large and various range of customizable, flexible and innovative seats. Every style of seats can integrate equipment such as Thalès and Panasonic. 

Our range includes the seats below:

• Passenger seats intended for the economy class possess sometimes more complex and simple options, according to the type of flight (medium or long haul). We can quote, the SKE, Oxygen as well as Airgonomic "Classic", "FX", and "FX premium" (this last one to create an Eco + class). 

• Passenger seats of business classes and first class are different by their quality, size, kinematics, comfort and numerous options. According to the type of plane (medium or long mail), and the customer demand, the pitchs can go "up to 73 inches". Our actual seats are named as follow: Majesty, Silverwing 2, Skynest, Skylounge and Cirrus.

• Crew seats (pilot, co-pilot, hostess) and helicopters seats (pilots and passengers).

Sicma Aero Seat’s know-how undeniable and always directed to the customer satisfaction which is based on the following mains points:

• Comfort
• Passenger living space
• Design
• High technology equipments (tv monitor, video games, Web, phone…). 

Thus, Sicma Aero Seat is working on the below positioning:

• Customization products, and high quality range
• Innovation and flexibility
• Costs optimization
• Sicma’s know-how 

Today, new concepts are developed, such as the MYAH (Make Yourself At Home, a seat - bed), which had a franc success during the Hamburg show (2009), or the SiT (Seat integrated Technology, that has been specially developed to facilitate its integration on seats and in cabins airplane).

Indeed, SiT concept presents numerous benefits: 

- Weight saving, by an optimization of the electric functions of the seat, historically separated.
- Suppression of server notion for data. Every passenger becomes autonomous.
- Minimalist architecture for optimal maintenance conditions.
- Living space optimization for passenger (system conceived for a seat by a seat manufacturer).

In fact, Sicma Aero Seat becomes the only supplier that can offer a complete integrated seat and SiT package, a key factor for its future. 

To enrich its potential and satisfy its customers, Sicma Aero Seat also develops internal means allowing it to be more successful:

• Lean development (better work management)
• M3-Movex setting up (new IT tool ERP)
• Ownership and maintenance cost reduction
• Program management new software setting up
• More investments in R&D and engineering