HAMBURG, GERMANY -- With the opening of the new facility and significant expansion of its operations, Lufthansa Technik Malta is extending the range of the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services it provides for short-haul and long-haul aircraft. On the occasion of the formal inauguration of the new hangars and building at the Malta International Airport in Luqa, Dr. Lawrence Gonzi, Prime Minister of Malta, and August Wilhelm Henningsen, Chairman of the Executive Board of Lufthansa Technik, emphasized the importance of the over 60 million euro investment both for Malta's economy and for the global network of Lufthansa Technik.
As well as operational and technical services in the new narrowbody hangar for up to three short-range aircraft such as Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, the 450 employees are also offering overhaul work including painting, for up to two long-haul aircraft from the Airbus A330/A340 family in two additional widebody hangars.
In April 2007, Lufthansa Technik Malta and the Maltese Government had signed a formal agreement to invest in a new facility which now covers a footprint of over 60,000 m2 whereby the foundation stone was laid in July 2007. This new facility which includes three hangars, all the associated back shops, warehouse, and infrastructure were built in just longer than 18 months. Construction work on the production site began in June 2007 with the first Airbus A330 from Lufthansa entering the new facility in December 2008.
Since its foundation in 2002, Lufthansa Technik Malta has already carried out over 350 C-checks for aircraft belonging to Lufthansa and numerous other customers. Depending on developments in the market and demand, up to 200 additional new staff is expected to be taken on over the next two years.
"For Malta's economic development, the expansion of the successful Lufthansa Technik operation is an important step in becoming a regional centre of excellence in a number of sectors including high-value added manufacturing and service provision," says Prime Minister Dr. Lawrence Gonzi. "Our highly skilled and flexible workforce has been essential in luring this investment and in making Lufthansa Technik Malta a regional centre of excellence in the area of aircraft overhaul in Europe."
"We need this expansion to ensure that we can offer sufficient capacity in the area of aircraft overhaul in our global network," says August Wilhelm Henningsen on behalf of Lufthansa Technik. "Even if the MRO market is currently stagnating due to the global economic crisis, this new and ultra-modern facility will put us in an excellent position to meet the demand for overhaul services, now also for widebody aircraft from the Airbus A330/A340 family, which is growing in the long run. I would also like to thank the Maltese Government for their excellent support."
"With a workforce growing significantly by 2010, Lufthansa Technik Malta will also be contributing significantly to the economic growth of Malta," says Louis Giordimaina, CEO of Lufthansa Technik Malta. "This new project has been a major challenge to accomplish in such a short time-frame including all the required resources and training. It is thanks to a strong, committed and flexible team that this has been achieved and I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone. We are totally aware that our customers not only expect the best performance from us but also flexibility and a competitive price – Lufthansa Technik Malta has always been committed to this reputation."
In addition to Deutsche Lufthansa and Air Malta aircraft, Lufthansa Technik Malta now has a growing portfolio of third party customers including Spanair, Air One, BMI, Germanwings, Fly Niki, Privat Air, Nigerian company Arik Air, Wizz Air and Sun Express, and others.
