EFW expands footprint in China with freighter deal

Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), a JV of ST Engineering and Airbus, has expanded its presence in the fast‑growing Chinese aviation market with the signing of a new freighter conversion contract with Hengqin Winglet Aircraft Technology (Hengqin Winglet), marking the lessor’s first Airbus A330 passenger‑to‑freighter (P2F) programme with EFW. EFW will carry out the A330P2F conversion at its partner facility in China, with work commencing in mid-2026 and supported by technical planning and certification from its headquarters in Dresden, Germany. “As a company with extensive expertise in leasing, trading and technical aircraft management, we are pleased to collaborate with EFW on the conversion of our A330 aircraft into a state‑of‑the‑art freighter,” said James Huang, CEO of Hengqin Winglet. The contract adds to EFW’s growing list of customers in China, which has been a major driver of global freighter demand, with strong growth in express logistics and cross‑border e‑commerce prompting continued fleet expansion among operators and lessors. “We are excited to welcome a new customer into the EFW family of converted Airbus freighters,” said Jordi Boto, CEO of EFW. “The A330P2F stands out as the future of the medium-sized air freighter segment, and we look forward to working with Hengqin Winglet in the near future to grow their A330P2F fleet.” For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]