Embraer Sets Sights On Poland For Commercial And Defense Aircraft Manufacturing, Assembly, Maintenance, R&D
Embraer is planning to make Poland the home of its new Center of Excellence in Europe. Francisco Gomes Neto, Embraer’s President and CEO, and senior executives from his Commercial and Defense divisions, met with current, new, and potential partners in the country in mid-March. The company is building on its 25-year association with the Polish aerospace industry and advancing cooperation with local businesses to support Embraer’s long-term strategic interests in Europe.
The new initiatives will focus on six key areas:
. manufacturing
. aircraft final assembly of KC-390 aircraft
. maintenance & repair i.e. landing gear overhaul for E2 & KC390
. passenger-to-freight (P2F) aircraft conversions
. R&D
. EVTOLs
Mr. Gomes Neto estimates that the partnerships will generate US$ 3 billion value to the Polish economy over 10 years and potentially create 5,000 jobs.
Embraer has already announced its first partner. It signed an agreement with the Lukasiewicz Institute of Aviation (ILOT), Poland’s nearly 100-year old organization renowned for its research and expertise in critical aerospace technologies, including materials, composites, and applications for unmanned flight. Embraer and ILOT will initially work together on R&D for materials, future flight technologies, aeronautical design, and future maintenance processes.
Commercial Aviation Division
The company’s first and second-generation E-Jets have a large footprint in Europe. LOT Airlines was the first European carrier to fly an E-Jet back in 2004. Today, LOT flies every variant in the E1 family, as well as the three E195-E2. The E2s are also prominent in Europe – some 30% of the aircraft is manufactured in the EU. The wings are made in Portugal and other key components are produced in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, and Spain.
Polish companies also support the E2 program – the seats are made in Świebodzin, the APUs are built in Rzeszów, and key engine components come from Kalisz. In 2024, those suppliers employed 1,350 people and spent US$30 million procuring domestic goods and services.
Embraer is looking to further ramp up production and turbocharge its supply chain in Poland. It recently conducted a road show to meet new suppliers and survey interest in future projects which could include an E-Jets E2 landing gear overhaul facility and conversion of E190 passenger jets to freighters.
The economic value of the current and planned commercial aviation initiatives is estimated to be US$ 2 billion over 10 years. Approximately 4,400 people could be employed.
Defense and Security Division
Embraer is also seeking more European partners for its KC-390 Millennium program and a location for a possible future final assembly line. The EU supply chain today accounts for 42% of the build of the multi-mission military aircraft. The governments of Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and the Netherlands have acquired the aircraft. Slovakia and Sweden have selected the KC-390.
Poland is strategically located in the region, especially among NATO countries, and would be ideal for a new aircraft assembly facility. It has a “well-established and expert industrial and defense community” according to Frederico Lemos, Embraer’s COO of Defense and Security and, in addition to becoming a potential KC-390 customer, would be “a true operational and industrial long-term partner.”
Embraer’s plans include local partnering to offer KC-390 training, maintenance, and support, and new suppliers for parts manufacturing. The future assembly line and associated aftermarket ecosystem would employ 600 people and be valued at close to US$ 1 billion.