Avio S.p.A.

Avio S.p.A. is an Italian aerospace company headquartered in Colleferro, near Rome, formed through a 2003 merger though its roots reach back to 1908. It specializes in solid-propellant rocket motors for space and tactical uses along with electronic control systems, and serves as the prime contractor for the European Space Agency Vega launcher and as a subcontractor on the Ariane program. The company employs roughly 1,200 people, about 30 percent of them in research and development, generates around 357 million euros in annual revenue, and runs production sites in Italy, France and French Guiana.