Ground was broken at MTU Maintenance Zhuhai Co., Ltd. Jinwan Branch today, marking the start of construction of a second facility for engine disassembly, assembly and testing for joint venture partners MTU Aero Engines and China Southern Airline Company Ltd. The new facility will have an initial capacity of 260 shop visits, focus on Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM and V2500 engines and enter operations in 2024. It will operate under MTU Maintenance Zhuhai and its licenses and approvals.
“We are honored to be celebrating this milestone with distinguished guests today, on the first day of the Zhuhai Airshow,” says Li Tongbin, Chairman of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai. “This groundbreaking symbolizes the start of the next phase of our collaboration and partnership with MTU and sets the course for further growth and success.”
Construction on the 150,000 square meter plot of land begins with a 65,000 lbf test cell. “We are delighted to be breaking ground on schedule today,” says Michael Schreyögg, Chief Program Officer, MTU Aero Engines. “At MTU, we believe in the future of the aviation industry and the growth and strength of the narrowbody engine market in Asia. As such, we are committed to the expansion of our network and excited to be moving forward with this project.”
MTU Maintenance Zhuhai is also in the process of planning the construction of a training center at its original site in Zhuhai where up to 150 students per year can be trained from 2023 onwards. “Through this training center we will be investing in our most important asset, our staff,” says Jaap Beijer, President and CEO of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai. “We will be able to meet our ambitious staff ramp-up needs and guarantee the high quality of education we require.” Upon completion, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai Jinwan will grow to a workforce of around 600, in addition to MTU Maintenance Zhuhai’s current workforce of 1,100 highly qualified employees.
The MTU Maintenance Zhuhai and Jinwan facilities will benefit from their proximity to Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Macao. Service teams can be dispatched to the customers in the region in no time. The current MTU Maintenance Zhuhai shop has an advanced machinery and performs 80 percent of parts repairs in-house. In addition to China Southern, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai serves over 90 customers from China, Asia and around the world, including International Aero Engines, Saudia Airlines and All Nippon Airways, as well as Chinese Shenzhen Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and Hainan Airlines. The new shop will also provide MRO to third party customers.
