Page 16 - AAA JULY - SEPTEMBER 2019 Online Magazine

equipment, we support others with our on-site services, such as was founded in 1991. It boasts over 80 custom-
inspections. We have even had cases in which customers have sent ers worldwide and provides a comprehensive
us blades overnight and we have processed them through the shop range of airfoil repair services for high-pressure
in 24 hours. Of course, if an affected engine is in the shop, we carry compressor (HPC) and low-pressure turbine
this work out in addition to whatever other work is taking place. (LPT) airfoils – for widebody and narrowbody
engines such as the CF6-80C, GP7000 and
Please elaborate on the activities undertaken by the CFM56 and V2500 engine families. In the
MTU Maintenance in Asia? past two years alone, ASSB has seen 50 per
cent growth compared to 2016.
The Asian region is now the number one in the world for engine
MRO volume in term of revenues and we estimate that it produces Is MTU Maintenance offering
around a quarter of all shop visits as of today. The consultants any newly developed innovative
at Oliver Wyman expect engine MRO revenue from the region solutions?
to increase to above a third worldwide in the next ten years. As
such, the region has seen massive growth in the past years, and As the global market leader in customized
predictions remain bullish. service solutions for aero engines, MTU
As a consequence, Asia’s importance will continue to grow and Maintenance offers a wide range of individual-
soon take over all others regions, also in terms of shop visits which ly-tailored solutions encompassing innovative
could represent about well over a third of the world demand within MRO services, integrated leasing and asset
the next ten years. Within that region, China is the largest single management. This breadth of services is com-
MRO market – both in shop visit volume and revenues. By that time bined with intelligent creativity and flexibility to
we expect that close to 50 per cent of all Asian shop visits will be form the basis of its V2500 and CFM56 engine
generated from the Chinese market. As most visits will be per- solutions. Such solutions are particularly inter-
formed on narrowbody engines, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai, already esting for operators of smaller fleets, looking
the largest narrowbody shop in Asia, is ideally placed to serve this for a highly-customized approach, and as fleets
growth. We are preparing our shop for the future engine business migrate from Tier 1 to Tier 2 operators.
to always be able to serve the needs of our valued customers. We
also recently prolonged our joint venture agreement with China What is the difference that MTU
Southern for another 20 years up to 2051 and we are preparing Maintenance has experienced with
our shop for the future engine business to always be able to serve engines owned by the airlines
the needs of our valued customers. MTU Maintenance Zhuhai is themselves and those owned by
also expanding its on-site services as well as teardown business lessors?
to cope with the expected demand. To help manage this growth,
we have employed over 100 people at the facility this year so far. Yes, lessors have different needs. In fact, we
recently launched a comprehensive lifecycle
What are the plans for MTU Maintenance Zhuhai solutions for lessors called MOVEPlus. We
in the coming years? have noticed an increase in aircraft and engine
lessors looking to take a more active role and
Aside from the baseload we receive from our joint venture part- interest in managing their most valuable asset
ner, China Southern, around an additional third of all shop visits – engines. They want to be directly involved
come from other Chinese and Asia-Pacific operators. We have an in engine maintenance decisions, particularly
extremely diverse and international customer base: The facility during the transition between lessees, in man-
serves over 70 customers, including International Aero Engines, aging and optimizing maintenance reserves
Saudia Airlines and All Nippon Airways, as well as Chinese Shenzhen and choosing the timing of engine shop visits.
Airlines and Macau Airlines for example. This is a solid basis from MTU Maintenance supports customers with
which we continue to grow. a portable MRO solution across the lifecycle,
enabling fast remarketability of assets through
How is MTU’s JV with Lufthansa Technik in easy transfers and predictable costs with no
Malaysia progressing? unnecessary MRO work.
Our comprehensive services can be entered
Airfoil Services Sdn Bhd (ASSB), a 50/50 joint venture between into at any point in time, starting from the
MTU Aero Engines AG and Lufthansa Technik, has broken ground moment the engine is purchased and go all
on its facility extension. This expansion grows facility space by the way to maximizing value at the end of the
5,200 square meters and will increase current repair capacity engine’s service life, for instance through a sale,
from 650,000 to 900,000 parts per year by 2020. The company is extended lease-out or a teardown for service-
planning to add another 200 jobs over the next 3 years, increasing able material. Both lessors and lessees benefit
the workforce to around 700 employees. Through its internally from our cost effective MRO services, simpli-
developed apprentice programme, ASSB took on 124 local appren- fied transitions, and ultimately, financial and
tices in 2018. ASSB has seen great success since the company technical risk mitigation.

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