MTU Maintenance Zhuhai and All Nippon Airways (ANA) have signed a contract for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of the airline’s CFM56-7B engines powering its 47 Boeing 737NG aircraft. The agreement between Japan’s largest carrier and Asia’s biggest provider of customized MRO solutions for aero engines underscores the two industry leaders’ long-time collaboration.
The contract, which runs until the end of 2032, covers ANA’s entire CFM56-7B fleet of around 100 engines and serves as an extension of the long-standing business relationship between the airline and MTU Maintenance Zhuhai. The latter, a joint venture between MTU Aero Engines and China Southern Airlines, specializes in the MRO of today’s most popular narrowbody engines, namely, CFM International’s CFM56-5B/7B and LEAP-1A/1B engines, as well as Pratt & Whitney’s PW1100G-JM and IAE’s V2500 engines.
Hideaki Honda, Vice President, Global Supplier Relation & Planning at ANA, says this agreement is yet another milestone in the on-going success of the two companies’ 15 years of partnership and cooperation. Last December, MTU Maintenance celebrated its network’s 25,000th shop visit with ANA at its Hannover location, where the carrier’s CF6-80C2 engines are maintained.
“MTU’s people are specialists when it comes to engine MRO,” Honda says. “Having such vast expertise for the CFM56 essentially in our backyard is a great advantage and ensures the smooth operation of ANA’s 737NG fleet.”
Martin Friis-Petersen, Senior VP of MRO Programs at MTU Aero Engines, adds that the contract showcases the benefits of MTU’s global footprint for airlines and engine operators.
“Our work with ANA is truly a continuous network success,” says Friis-Petersen. “We see their CF6-80C2 engines in our Hannover shop and the CFM56 engines here in Zhuhai, while repairs on engine parts and accessories are done in Vancouver and MTU’s other dedicated repair facilities. We are thrilled that we can continue down this road with ANA for the foreseeable future.”
Gert Wagner, President and CEO of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai, emphasizes the expertise which is necessary to handle the complexities that engine fleets bring with them.
“It is a privilege that ANA entrusts its engines with us,” he says. “Zhuhai is the MTU network’s narrowbody engine specialist. Over the years, we have amassed enormous know-how and experience on the CFM56-7B to satisfy any MRO demand ANA might have, and we are looking forward to working together and exchanging further insights as part of our on-going and trusting relationship.”
Since introducing the CFM56 in the early 2000s, MTU Maintenance has conducted more than 3,000 shop visits within its network, tallying over 1,400 shop visits on the CFM56-7B alone. The group held a 10-percent market share on this engine type in 2024. In addition to the Zhuhai shop including on- and near-wing workscopes, is also performed at its Berlin–Brandenburg location. Hannover, São Paulo and Dallas further support the program with ON-SITEPlus services. The latter is capable of performance tests on the CFM56-7B as of 2024.
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