German engine specialist MTU has selected Serbia as the location for a new component repair facility scheduled to become operational in 2022.
A specific site has not yet been selected as negotiations are ongoing, says MTU, but the shop will "most likely be located in the Belgrade region".
MTU has signed a memorandum of understanding with Serbia's government, which, the company notes, "strongly supports" the project.
The nation's president, Aleksandar Vucic, states: "Serbia provides all necessary resources as well as highly skilled and motivated people [who] are keen to strengthen our country's footprint in the global aviation industry."
In February, the Munich-based engine subassembly manufacturer and maintenance provider said that it was in the process of evaluating three international "best cost" locations for the establishment of a part-repair centre.
MTU
The new facility is a "key component" of MTU's growth strategy for its MRO business, states chief programme officer Michael Schreyogg.
Noting a vocational training requirement for staff at the repair centre, he foresees that the site will "form the core of a future aerospace cluster".
MTU will be the sole shareholder of the Serbian facility.
In Poland, MTU is in the process of establishing an overhaul shop for Pratt & Whitney PW1000G engines, which will be jointly owned with Lufthansa Technik.
Located outside the city of Rzeszow – close to an existing MTU engine component manufacturing operation – that site is scheduled to become operational in early 2020.
Earlier this year, Lufthansa Technik disclosed a decision to establish an engine component repair shop in Hungarian city Miskolc. This is scheduled to open in 2022.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
