Bpifrance Podcast: Interview with Pauline Lambert on PSD Aero
In an interview with Nicolas Dufourcq, Pauline Lambert, Managing Director of PSD Aero, reflects on the family business’s journey. From succession and international expansion to modernising systems and employee engagement, she discusses the decisions that have shaped its growth and her priorities for the future.
A family business, from timber to metals
The story begins in the Ardennes, where the Lambert family developed a sawmill business after the Second World War. In 1993, Christian Lambert took over the struggling metals business of Paris Saint-Denis, pledging to retain at least twenty employees.
Pauline joined the company in 1998 to develop international sales, drawing on her command of English and German. The founding of PSD Aero on 1 January 2001 marked the company’s move towards a dedicated aerospace business, a key milestone in our history.
Supporting the aerospace industry worldwide
Bars, sheets and tubes: PSD Aero supplies industrial customers with metal products cut and processed to their specifications. With Airbus and Safran among its major customers, the company generates revenue of €165 million, with exports accounting for 50%.
In Spain, PSD Aero is expanding its aluminium block cutting and machining operations, notably for Aernnova. Its expansion continues in the United Kingdom and India, with China set to follow. The opening of its processing and distribution facility in Bengaluru in November 2025 brought a project delayed by the pandemic to fruition.
These international operations also help improve the company’s working practices through daily exchanges between teams in France and abroad.
Preparing for growth: AI, people and supply chains
An artificial intelligence tool makes it easier to work with SAP data, reducing the time needed for certain administrative tasks from half a day to one hour. Pauline Lambert outlines a long-term ambition to reach €500 million in revenue, a goal that calls for the right tools, an adaptable organisation and the active involvement of employees.
The company’s 350 employees and their experience are central to this vision. The pandemic also highlighted the importance of mutual support across the industry: Pauline reflects on purchase commitments honoured despite the downturn in business, and on the support provided by GIFAS.
To secure supplies, she stresses the need to understand producers’ dependencies and anticipate potential disruptions. Her conviction is clear: preserve industrial expertise and give teams the resources they need to continue growing the business.
Watch the full interview in the video at the top of this article.