Lufthansa Technik opens third aircraft inspection site in USA

Lufthansa Technik has opened a new location for aircraft production inspection in North Charleston, South Carolina.

The new location will support inspections of Boeing 787s assembled in North Charleston, Lufthansa says.

It mirrors two similar aircraft production inspection locations in the USA, which are located in Everett and Renton, Washington. Boeing assembles widebodies in Everett and the 737 in Renton.

“We are now offering production inspection at all Boeing sites and for all Boeing aircraft types currently in production,” says Marcus Motschenbacker, director of network sales and customers service at Lufthansa Technik.

As marketed under the Aircraft Production Inspection Program, Lufthansa Technik inspects newly-assembled aircraft as a service for airlines and leasing companies.

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Germany’s Lufthansa Technik expanding in South Florida, Puerto Rico

Germany’s Lufthansa Technik, which maintains, repairs and overhauls civilian planes, is expanding its regional office in South Florida into a new location in Miramar.
The company plans to invest $114,000 and create 24 new jobs at the new office, a statement said. The Miramar office will handle all major customer service, account management and product sales functions in the South Florida area, according to Gordon Weller, senior director of product sales and customer service and branch manager at the company’s office in Fort Lauderdale.

Lufthansa Technik said it chose Miramar for the larger office for several reasons, including easy access to international airports, proximity to universities, a strong pool of employees and the city’s growing cluster of aviation businesses. Miramar's City Commission last year also approved incentives for the venture: up to $14,400 to locate its customer service center in Miramar and up to $12,000 for local hiring, the South Florida Sun Sentinelreported.

New MRO facility in Puerto Rico to employ up to 400

Meanwhile, Lufthansa Technik said it will open a new new maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Puerto Rico in the Caribbean to service short-haul and medium-haul aircraft.
It will create a new unit, Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico, to run the facility at Rafael Hernández International Airport in Aguadilla at the site of a former U.S. air force.
The new MRO center  will employ up to 400 people and run a total five overhaul lines, a statement said. It will initially operate two lines for Airbus A320 C-checks and D-checks. MRO work is expected to start in 2015.
JetBlue Airways, the leading carrier to Puerto Rico, has commited to use the center for heavy maintenance.

Lufthansa Technik reported revenues topping $5 billion and nearly 20,000 employees on average for 2013. It has been increasing sales by handling more types of jets and boosting cooperation with manufacturers.
The company owns a stake in South Florida’s fast-growing Heico Corp., which makes jet engine parts and electronic component systems. Heico’s revenues topped $1 billion for the first time last fiscal year.

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