Airbus has established a Chinese joint venture to expand the aircraft storage and recycling capabilities of its specialist affiliate Tarmac Aerosave.
The new Chinese facility – to be located in Chengdu – will have storage capacity for 125 aircraft, and its creation follows a provisional agreement reached in January last year.
To be known as Airbus Lifecycle Services, the venture will also conduct maintenance, conversion and dismantling operations in a single centre.
“This new centre in Chengdu fits perfectly into Airbus’ approach to environmental responsibility across the entire aircraft lifecycle,” says the airframer’s senior vice-president of customer services, Cristina Aguilar.
Airbus claims the centre, being developed in co-operation with the city, will be the first of its kind in China.
It expects the facility – covering 0.7km² – to commence operations around the turn of the year.
Airbus says the centre will be “embedded in a complete eco-system” with aerospace manufacturing and service firms located in an adjacent Chengdu business district.
Tarmac Aerosave already has three European aircraft storage facilities sited in Tarbes, Teruel and Toulouse Francazal.
It will provide technical knowledge and recruitment support for the Chinese project.
Three-quarters of the aircraft stored at Chengdu will transition to a second lifecycle, the company states, while the remaining ones will be dismantled.
Tarmac Aerosave claims it will be able to re-use or recycle parts accounting for about 90% of the aircraft weight.
“We have imagined and designed [this facility] together in line with our modern and sustainable processes,” says president Alexandre Brun.
