MTU Maintenance Zhuhai, Asia's leading engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) company, has signed a memorandum of understanding with MAB Engineering, a wholly-owned subsidiary under the Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), to support the setup of an engine on-site services facility in cooperation with the Malaysian service provider.

Under the agreement, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai will provide its technical expertise and guidance to support the management of the project. This includes consultation on the required qualifications, certifications and tooling, as well as facility layout design. In addition, MTU Maintenance staff from the Zhuhai location will initially train its counterpart's employees in a range of work scopes for CFM International's CFM56-5B and -7B engines, with the possibility of other engine models in the future.

Gert Wagner, President and CEO of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai, says MTU's location in China has broad experience and a strong foundation in the field through its ON-SITEPlus services. The past few years, in particular, saw a significant rise in the demand for smaller on- and near-wing work scopes. He adds the project, in which MTU Maintenance is assisting MAB Engineering, is a win for the aviation industry in Asia.

"Although aviation is a big industry, it still tends to be a small community, so we enjoy partnering up and exchanging knowledge, especially with a long-time partner such as the Malaysia Aviation Group," Wagner says. "It is an absolute pleasure to be working with them on this project."

Mohd Nadziruddin Mohd Basri, Chief Executive Officer of Aviation Services at Malaysia Aviation Group, says MTU Maintenance's expertise is world renowned and adopting the same standards within the framework MAB Engineering's own MRO operations is of great benefit to MAG as a whole.

"MTU has a successful history of collaborations and partnerships, and through our own experience utilizing their MRO services over the years, we know we are in good hands. We look forward to working closely together to further enhance MAB Engineering's capabilities in becoming a preferred one-stop aircraft MRO service provider in the region," says Mohd Nadziruddin.

In 2019, the MTU Maintenance Zhuhai and Malaysia Airlines signed an exclusive, 10-year contract that covers MRO services on 100 CFM56-7B engines until phase-out and includes lease services and life-limited parts management.