Page 12 - AAA NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2017 Online Magazine

INTERVIEW DIEHL AEROSYSTEMS

Customer Connect

The desire to be closer to its customers inspired Diehl Aerosystems to open its
Singapore subsidiary

the airlines and MROs and asking for their
needs and then taking the information
and putting it in new products and new
services that go into the new aircraft.

How will production rate cut for the A380
impact Diehl Aerosystems contribution to
the aircraft?
Harald: We do the complete interior, including
the lavatories, so it has a tremendous effect.
But the good thing is that we are also in A350.
So, if the A380 is going down, the A350 is
coming up. However, it’s really sad that A380
is not as successful as expected.
Michael: This is of course a certain loss
Harald Mehring, Chief Customer Officer Michael Finkenburger, SVP Customer Support for us. However, we are very competitive and
bigger OEMs seem to have a keen interest in
dieHL AerosYstems HAs mArKed for original equipment. We outfit the A350, our products. We have won a large package
the first anniversary of its Singaporean for example. Most of the cabin interior on A350, which compensates for the A380.
subsidiary Diehl Aerospace Pte. Ltd., a elements, except the seats, is coming But it’s clear that we, as the first tier, are
joint venture with Thales, by inaugurating from us. This also includes everything in risk sharing partners to the big OEMs.
its Customer Support Center (CSC). Asian the cockpit. We also provide the avionics Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose.
Airlines & Aerospace spoke with Harald systems. When it comes to MRO, we are We have to be big enough, which we are, to
Mehring, Chief Customer Officer and Michael talking mainly about repair of avionics sustain this.
Finkenburger, SVP Customer Support and lightings and spare parts distribution
at Diehl Aerosystems to understand the for the rest. But of course, the aftersales, The firm is going a step beyond LED mood
company’s plans for the region. which is customer support mainly, is lighting to offer projection technology
Edited excerpts from the interview: important field to grow. Especially, when featuring moving images and video on
we look at digitalization, for example. With aircraft sidewalls. Please elaborate?
When did Diehl Aerosystems start new business models, the service part of Michael: This is a very important topic. When
operations in Singapore? manufacturing is getting more and more it comes to lighting, you can understand
Michael: We started from the January 1st this important. At the moment, 15 per cent that it’s a very good idea to have maybe
year. We have been working together with of our turnover is related to customer certain standard cabin and the lighting and
Thales over the years and it has been a very support. So roughly 180-200 million euro the projection can enhance this to the very
good cooperation. However, for strategic out of 1.5bn euro is generated by our MRO branding of the operator. So, on one hand, we
reasons, we made this move. Not only is activities. What’s not included in the MRO have huge flexibility to print planning of the
our company growing, but our customers activities is what we call aircraft retrofit, customer inside the cabin with his colours.
also expect us to be directly serving them. when it comes to really doing cabin renewal On the other hand, we want to provide new
Listening to our customer, we decided that – replacing with new lavatories and galleys services around this – about advertisements
this would be a good approach. More so, Asia and installing new lights for a completely or about other third-party apps that we can
Pacific is the emerging market, and a good fresh look and feel. Also with the ceiling use to extend the look and feel of the cabin.
platform for our ideas, for our innovations and the sidewall linings, then you have the Digitalisation service around this is also
and for the surfaces, which we are developing. new overhead bins, so the retrofit market possible. So, this is the future for us – the
is a growing market. Direct market access enhancement of the whole cabin experience,
Tell us about your operations in general and is very important for us, not being only especially when you look at the fact that
in the region? dependent on the information we get from leasing of the aircraft is a growing business.
Harald: We are an OEM company and we do the aircraft manufacturers on the market We can say today that roughly 25-30 per cent
business with the aircraft manufacturers and their customers, but going directly to of the aircraft are leased. This is growing.
12 ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 WWW.GBP.COM.SG