SINGAPORE, 15 February 2022 - Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), the engineering arm of Capital A (formerly known as AirAsia Group Berhad), will be building integrated maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities spanning over 380,000 sqft at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
The facilities will be built on 20.25 acres of land located within the KLIA Aeronautical Support Zone 1 (ASZ 1) under the Malaysia Airports’ KLIA Aeropolis development. The development will commence in mid-2022 and is expected to complete within two years.
At maturity, the new state-of-the-art facilities will be able to provide heavy MRO services for up to 14 commercial aircraft at any time, including dedicated component workshops and a digital product development centre, making ADE the biggest MRO provider in Malaysia and one of the largest in the region.
A document exchange ceremony between Mahesh Kumar, CEO of ADE and Randhill Singh, Head of KLIA Aeropolis, witnessed by Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, Executive Chairman of Capital A and Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A took place at the 2022 Singapore Airshow today.
Mahesh Kumar, CEO of ADE said: “The Southeast Asia MRO market alone was valued at over USD 4.5 billion in 2021 and the industry is expected to rebound swiftly when things return to the pre-pandemic level. ADE is ready to make a paradigm shift in the industry.
“The new facility will be capable of handling both narrowbody and widebody aircraft, and we are keen to expand our capabilities beyond the current types of aircraft that we perform maintenance on. We are confident in our overall prospects to disrupt the aircraft maintenance industry in Asean creating jobs as we grow and delivering significant economic benefits across the value supply chain.
“As a comprehensive engineering firm backed by over 20 years of experience, ADE is on the right track to support the growing demand in the region by covering the entire MRO process from the nose to tail of an aircraft. Including the delivery of robust line and base maintenance, workshop and engineering support services alongside integrated digital solutions - all underpinned by AirAsia’s DNA of providing superior quality services at the lowest cost with fastest turnaround time.
“We thank Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) for their ongoing support which is well aligned with our strategy to not only further strengthen our position in the market but to also propel Malaysia to be the key strategic hub for aircraft maintenance in the region.”
Dato’ Iskandar Mizal Mahmood, Managing Director of Malaysia Airports said: “Among the aims of our Aeropolis development is to realise Malaysia’s goal in becoming regional aerospace and cargo hubs. Towards this end, the KLIA ASZ 1 is a designated area focused on supporting critical aeronautical activities and operations of airlines and cargo operators. Notable operators include Airbus MRO subsidiary - Sepang Aircraft Engineering, Cainiao Aeropolis eWTP Hub and the upcoming DHL Express, whilst local operators include local airlines, cargo terminal operators and ground handlers. The presence of ADE at ASZ 1 further diversifies the capabilities and expertise available at KLIA. Additional job creation for high level roles such as engineers and technical staff will also contribute towards stimulating the country’ economy.”