Tikehau Capital, Amundi Private Equity Funds, and investors from Credit Agricole — including IDIA Capital Investissement and Arkéa Capital — are in exclusive discussions with Loar Group over a strategic sale of LMB Aerospace.

LMB Aerospace, a French company with over 60 years’ history, specialises in designing, producing, and distributing high-performance electric fans and cooling solutions for the aerospace and defence sectors. The firm, which employs approximately 75 people, has forged strong, long-term relationships with Tier 1 clients and OEMs. Its CEO, Thomas Bernard, has successfully expanded the North American market since relocating to the US in 2016, with the region now generating 30% of the company’s revenues.

Tikehau Capital entered the picture in 2022 through its flagship private equity aerospace and defence strategy. The investment aimed to bolster LMB Aerospace’s footprint in Europe and North America and to diversify its offerings across new verticals. The current transaction would represent the third divestment from Tikehau’s dedicated aerospace and defence portfolio.

The discussions with Loar Group, an aerospace and defence components specialist based in New York, are progressing subject to regulatory clearance. This potential deal highlights the continued interest from private equity investors in the aerospace and defence sectors, as they seek to capitalise on established market leaders with growth potential.