Page 29 - AAA MARCH - APRIL 2019 Online Magazine

[ MAINTENANCE REPAIR OVERHAUL ] [ INTERVIEW - SAPURA TECHNICS ]

Perfect

Timing

Amrul Zeflin Anim, Accountable Manager
at Sapura Technics, believes that Malaysia’s
newest narrowbody Maintenance, Repair &
Overhaul (MRO) provider has timed its entry
into the market to perfection.

“As it stands right now, hangar facilities in the
South East Asian region will be inadequate to
handle the expected increase in aircraft main-
tenance visits within the next 3 to 8 years,”
Anim tells Arun Sivasankaran in an interview.
“We believe that it is the right time to enter the
MRO market and address the capacity gap.”
The MRO is expected to start operations at
Senair Airport in Senai, Johor, Malaysia, in July
this year.

Edited excerpts from the interview:

When did Sapura Resources
Berhad first think about opening When will Sapura Technics start operations?
an MRO facility?
We plan to begin operation in July or August 2019 after we receive
Sapura Resources Berhad entered the aviation the Part 145 approval from Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia
industry by establishing Sapura Aero back in (CAAM). Senai Airport is a strategic location as we can enter the
2011. Currently Sapura Aero provides aircraft MRO market rapidly as we already have two existing hangars, which
management to more than 25 private aircraft were previously operated by our sister company, Sapura Aero.
operators and owners. The formation of Sapura As a new aircraft MRO facility and being in Senai, we will have quick
Technics was primarily driven by the encour- access to the existing MRO ecosystem within Singapore, even as
aging MRO market demand within South East we develop the MRO ecosystem within Senai in the future.
Asia.
What services would the company initially
We also wanted to expand the group’s avi- provide, that would set Sapura Technics apart
ation business portfolios. The commercial from others in the country and the region?
MRO market in the region remains strong and
is driven by rapidly growing fleet size to meet In the initial phase, we will provide line and base maintenance
the increase in air travel demand caused by a (up to C check) for Boeing B737 series and Airbus A320 family.
fast-growing middleclass population. The facility will also have aircraft support shops for composites,
fiberglass, sheet metal, non-destructive testing, paint shop and
Sapura Technics want to establish itself as the battery charging.
preferred commercial MRO service provider
in the region by catering to the growing com- “WE PLAN TO BEGIN OPERATION IN JULY OR
mercial aircraft MRO demand. We also want
to create new high-income job opportunities. AUGUST 2019 AFTER WE RECEIVE THE PART 145

ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE March/April 2019 | 29