Page 22 - AAA MAY-JUNE 2012 Online Magazine

FEATURE MRO IN ASIA
OPPOSITE PAGE
TOP: Engine overhaul
is increasingly being
factored out locally
BOTTOM: Filipino
technicians working
on an Airbus A340 at
Lufthansa Technik
Philippines
22 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS MAY / JUNE 2012
We are developing
market share in Asia.
Our turnover in Asia
is 60% on engines
repair and 40% on
components because
we do not carry out
airplane maintenance
in Asia – we are
very focussed,
- Fabrice Defrance, SVP
Commercial, AFI KLM E&M
Howdy partner contract with sriLankan airlines covering
as a major ‘mro for hire’, aFi KLm sees a340 and a330 component support.
30% of business in asia, has three local in india, aFi KLm signed a strategic
sales offices, and around 20 customers partnership agreement with mumbai-
in the region, mainly for engine or based max aerospace, a major player
component support. They include airasia in the indian mro market. This makes
X, air new Zealand, indigo, airblue them the first global mro to offer a
Limited and garuda. The company component repair capability in india.
operates an advanced logistics platform “This partnership will help us to achieve
in singapore, which handles storage and our component support ambitions, and
distribution of spares for Boeing 777s and to have the resources to stay abreast of
airbus a330. spares for a320s are to be the vigorous growth on our market,” said
added shortly. it has decided that being Bharat malkani, Chairman and mD of
specialist can bring dividends in the new max aerospace. The Jv’s new facility is
asian boom zone. being built in nagpur and is expected to
“as far as aFi KLm goes, we are be completed by 2013.
developing market share in asia. our Like aFi KLm, Lufthansa Technik has
turnover in asia is 60% on engines repair long been active in the region through
and 40% on components because we local joint ventures, including ameco
do not carry out airplane maintenance Beijing – 60% owned by air China, with
in asia – we are very focussed,” said the rest held by LhT’s parent Lufthansa.
Defrance. he describes the company’s also in China is Lufthansa Technik
asian business as very important. “our shenzhen, specialising in aircraft thrust
geographical ratio of 30% of business reversers and high-value components.
here is growing. For instance on Lufthansa Technik Philippines recently
a330/340 component support (on which opened a third 8,500 m2 hangar in
we are number one worldwide), we have manila for work on wide-body aircraft.
customers such as airasia X, Qantas, “With the new hangar, we will be able to
sriLankan airlines and airCalin. To keep up with the increasing demand for
make (component support) consistent, technical services for long-haul aircraft,
we are developing further partnerships,” particularly in the asian market,”
he added. For example, aFi/KLm has said august Wilhelm henningsen,
an agreement with Pia for the overhaul Lufthansa Technik Chairman of the
of the g90 engine and recently inked a executive Board.
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