Wheelabrator: an international group succeeding in the Ardennes

Founded in 1994, Wheelabrator is the global leader in surface preparation technology, offering a complete range of blow finishing, turbine finishing and vibratory grinding. Wheelabrator offers a comprehensive range of equipment, services et parts.

The group designs, draws and manufactures reliable and tested equipment that meets practically all surface treatment and preparation needs for industries such as automobile, aeronautics, railway transport, and mechanical constructions (engine discs,  facing and coating equipment, munitions processing for the military sector, etc.).

With 15,000 active customers in almost 100 countries, Wheelabrator continues to benefit from the experience it has gained as the largest facility in the industry to offer the best solutions to its customers. Over thirty major equipment units (machines for forming wing panels, automated shot-blasting machines and portable shot-blasting units) assembled on-site are produced each year in the Ardennes factory.

The group has 8 production facilities around the world, 27 service units and over 60 agents covering a further 35 countries. One of its six technology centres, run by Mr Yves Dufour, is based in Charleville-Mézières and currently has 66 employees.

The Charleville-Mézières technology centre generates 40% of its turnover from exports, covering as diverse destinations as Chile and China. Its main customers are Boeing, Rolls Royce and General Electric.

By Ardennes Développement, the Ardennes economic development agency - ardennes-developpement.com