18 Dec 2018
It has been a challenging year for the aviation industry marred by higher fuel prices and saw the collapse of several airlines, but it has also been a year of significant opportunity especially in the MRO sector. Keith Mwanalushi reviews.
With the global aircraft fleet projected to reach almost 38,000 by 2028, the global aircraft MRO is estimated to reach a 10-year consolidated market size value of around 115 billion U.S. dollars.
AJW Group has had a very successful 2018 with several new relationships and partnerships formed and many existing global contracts extended.
"We have also grown our team both in the UK and in our locations across the globe," declares Boris Wolstenholme, Chief Strategy Officer at AJW Group.
Airlines that were announced or extended partnerships with AJW Group in 2018 include Allegiant, Air Incheon, Azul Cargo Express, AlMasria, Air Mediterranean, Cambodia Airways, Ellinair, Electra Airways and Just Us Air.
"We are also delighted to have formed strategic partnerships with Bombardier Business Aircraft and COMAC." The partnership with Bombardier sees AJW undertake all repair management for the airframe OEMs rotable inventory. Wolstenholme explains that a key feature of the contract is the strategic sourcing of repairs from OEMs and MROs, including AJW's maintenance hub for component repair and overhaul service, AJW Technique . He says this is a huge strategic win for AJW Group.
The work with COMAC saw AJW work closely with the OEM and Iceland's airports authority, ISAVIA, since September 2017 to complete crosswind testing. "This partnership with China's flagship aircraft manufacturer is a great example of the increasingly bespoke and strategic way in which we are working with customers," he says.