In 2017, SOURIAU celebrates 100 years of innovation and passion in helping all industries

Mr. Patrice Cavalier-Bros, SOURIAU/ SUNBANK, Esterline Connection Technologies CEO, at Le Bourget Museum of Air and Space welcoming customers and partners to celebrate the 100th anniversary of SOURIAU.

A little history

People have always had a passion for entrepreneurship. Each industrial revolution enables the most imaginative minds to create products and build businesses with production and marketing means. The early years of the 20th century saw major developments in automobiles, trains, and airplanes. In 1917, Paul Adolphe Souriau—the man who would one day give his name to the company he founded—specialized in windings and the manufacture and repair of electric magnetos and ignition systems for automobiles and airplanes, two modes of transportation that were becoming increasingly popular.

From plugs to connectors

SOURIAU’s great adventure in the field of connections began with aviation. The company’s excellent relationship with aircraft manufacturer Caudron-Renault led to the design of the first quick-lock bayonet ‘electrical plug’.  This patented revolution freed the world’s electrical equipment of the period and became ubiquitous in all parts of planes. For SOURIAU, the creation of the first bayonet connector certified by BNAe (France’s Aeronautics and Space Standardization Office) marked the start of an industrial adventure that continues to this very day. It is an adventure that is filled with passion and innovation and which remains inscribed in SOURIAU’s DNA. After taking over the helm of SOURIAU from his father, Paul-Jean Souriau expanded the company’s product line, upgraded its production facilities, and took the company international by setting up business in the U.S.A. and supplying connectors to Boeing. Carrying on his father’s tradition, Paul-Jean Souriau remained focused on innovation, reliability, robustness, regularity in manufacturing processes, and listening to his customers’ needs. 

Connectors—passive components vital to all sectors of industry

Connectors are not like any other kind of passive component. Regardless of the application they are used for, their lifespan is measured in decades. Take the MIL 38999, which was introduced in the 1970s yet remains a world standard in aeronautics. SOURIAU has continuously improved the shell sizes, contact types, and surface treatments of its MIL 38999 connector. Indispensable partners of electrical wiring, connectors are used to interconnect shells in aircraft engines, cockpits, and interiors.

Inconspicuous yet reliable, connectors are necessary in order to operate virtually anything that rolls, flies, or floats in the world. A good thing that SOURIAU is present worldwide.  

Preferred relationships with customers over time

Each year, the world’s largest companies reward their suppliers for their performance. SOURIAU has been especially honored to receive a number of awards, most recently from Airbus in 2015, and from Crouzet, Fokker, Safran and Zodiac in 2016. SOURIAU was recognized as on the top suppliers of the year for its commitment to meeting delivery times, its quality (in terms of part per million, or PPM), its products, and its customer relationships. 

In France, SOURIAU operates three production sites in the towns of Champagné, Marolles, and La Ferté Bernard. 

“We audited SOURIAU’s manufacturing process and found that they were one of our top suppliers,” said Laurent Salomoni, interconnections manager at Thales. “We were very impressed by the organization of the workflows around the molding presses at La Ferté Bernard.”

“Zodiac and SOURIAU enjoy a very professional relationship,” said Claire Romain, purchasing director for Zodiac’s site in Plaisir, France. “What is great about SOURIAU is that we’re in constant contact with people who are looking for solutions for every possible situation.” 

SOURIAU’s partners outside France are just as satisfied. “We are both a value-added distributor (VAD) and we assemble cables and connectors to make wiring interconnection systems,” said Yakub Gabriele, managing director of RayService in the Czech Republic. “Our business relationship with SOURIAU goes back many years. Like our customers, we have always been very satisfied with the quality of SOURIAU’s products.”

“Souriau and HuangFeng have been partners for thirty years. We assemble and distribute SOURIAU connectors as well as promote and market its products in China,” said Chen Lian, chairman of HuangFeng.

The Adventure Continues

In 1989, SOURIAU became part of Framatome Connectors International (FCI) but regained its freedom a few years later. Now part of Esterline Connection Technologies, SOURIAU/SUNBANK is a subsidiary of the Esterline Group. With 3,000 employees, 11 production sites around the world, and a position as leader of interconnection solutions for harsh environments, the adventure in innovation continues. Its connectors carry signals, power, high-speed data, and optical signals. The same rule applies to all SOURIAU connectors: robustness, reliability, and safety. 

“SOURIAU has once again gained a leading edge,” said Patrice Cavelier-Bros, president of SOURIAU. “To celebrate our 100 years of passion and innovation, we are unveiling this year ‘black zinc nickel’, a new surface treatment for the metal portions of our connectors that complies with the European REACH Regulation.”

SOURIAU is always at the forefront of innovation.

Mr. Chen Lian, Huang-Feng chairman, SOURIAU's partner in China, was present at Le Bourget Museum of Air and Space to celebrate the 100th anniversary of SOURIAU