Safran, a France-based aviation company, has announced plans to invest $80m (€72.59m) to expand its operations in the state of Querétaro in north-central Mexico. The company will create 800 new jobs through the expansion, which will be focused on maintenance, production, innovation, development and research into new technologies.

The investment is aimed at creating the group's seventh plant that will house an aircraft engine test bench for the development and innovation of the aeronautical industry, as well as the two-story extension.

Founded in 2005, Safran has more than 80,000 employees worldwide. The company is the largest employee in Mexico's aviation sector, with 11,000 people employed across 17 production, maintenance and engineering sites in the country.

Mexico has been a hotbed of foreign direct investment in recent years, driven by its burgeoning reputation as a hub for automotive and aerospace expertise. In 2023, it has drawn in high-profile investments from, among others, Aptiv, DHL, Kia, MPL, Quanta Computer and Robert Bosch.