The family company from Brno, Frentech Aaerospace, is currently doing exceptionally well. It is driven by space projects in particular. The key contract is the construction of the Space Rider cargo shuttle for the European Space Agency.

It is an incredibly interesting project, with a huge responsibility. This is how Pavel Sobotka, the head and co-owner of Frentech Aaerospace, evaluates the work on the order for the European transport system. The Space Rider project is supposed to reach space in 2027, and its preparation is now in full swing. “We are in charge of the development, production and testing of the chassis for this space shuttle,” says Pavel Sobotka in an interview with Forbes. And it is definitely not a negligible project, its total budget is close to 300 million CZK. “Several Czech companies are working on it, and we coordinate their work,” says Sobotka.

It was this order for the European Space Agency that helped the company Frentech to grow so much that it is now unprecedented. “We haven’t published the numbers yet. But an audit was conducted in the spring and now we have the final report. Our turnover last year was 272 millionnCZK, which is a record,” says Sobotka. The company has so far reached a maximum turnover of 220 million CZK, but depending on the orders, it has also had weaker years, when turnover due to the collapse of the aviation industry after Covid only slightly exceeded 100 million CZK. In addition to work on the space shuttle, other space contracts also contributed to the record result. For example, cooperation with ArianeGroup on the production of components for the Ariane 6 launch vehicle.  Last year, space projects accounted for more than half of the company’s turnover, which is a more significant share than in previous years. "It's usually somewhere between 35 or 40 percent," says Sobotka, adding that the share of space contracts is now the largest ever.

Frentech Aerospace has been focusing on three key areas for a long time. In addition to the aforementioned space activities, it is also working for the aviation industry. “For example, we work directly for the German Airbus and supply it with aircraft parts,” describes Sobotka. The company supplies parts mainly for the A350 and A400M models. But its parts are also destined for the Airbus A380 aircraft, the production of which has already ended. However, there is still a need to keep the existing machines running and replace worn parts.

“We also work with Eaton, Collins Aerospace and the aircraft manufacturer Embraer,” Sobotka lists. In addition to civilian contracts, the company also works with Aero Vodochody on the supply of parts for the C-390 transport aircraft used by the army.

The third area of ​​Frentech’s activities is instrumentation. “We mainly supply the American company Thermo Fisher Scientific, which has a branch in Brno,” explains Sobotka. It is one of the largest manufacturers of electron microscopes in the world. In addition to supplies for electron optics, Frentech also focuses on components for gas analyzers.

The Frentech company was founded in 1994 by Pavel Sobotka. Initially, the company focused mainly on medical technology, microelectronics and special devices. It gradually began working for Airbus. After the Czech Republic joined the European Space Agency, Frentech also started producing equipment usable during space missions. 

Compiled by the Dutch team of CzechTrade

Source: forbes.cz