Dassault has acquired the ExecuJet chain of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities from business aviation services provider Luxaviation for an undisclosed sum.
The acquisition, which is scheduled for completion by the end of the first quarter, strengthens the French airframer's global support footprint with the addition of 15 bases across the world, including in the Asia-Pacific region, Oceania, the Middle East and Africa.
Dassault says the purchase was prompted by customer demand for "more direct involvement in the maintenance and support of their Falcons".
ExecuJet has been maintaining the twin-engined and trijet business aircraft family for several years, Dassault says, "but we felt it was time we had a more substantial global presence in this market".
The manufacturer currently has five company-owned service centres: two in Europe – at Paris Le Bourget and Bordeaux-Meriginac – and three in the USA at Little Rock, Arkansas; Reno, Nevada and Wilmington, Delaware.
The ExecuJet name will be retained, Dassault says "as it is a highly regarded industry brand among owners and operators of a variety of aircraft types".
"The shareholder changes, but ExecuJet will maintain its identity and its leadership," adds Graeme Duckworth, MRO executive vice-president for the Zurich-headquartered company, who will remain with the company.
Luxaviation bought ExecuJet in 2015, its largest ever purchase. As well as the MRO network, ExecuJet's portfolio also included a global fleet of 150 aircraft and 25 fixed-base operations (FBOs).
Luxaviation says it will now focus on strengthening and growing its VIP charter and management business along with its FBO portfolio.
"Selling our maintenance activities to a European group whose excellence is recognised around the world, and acclaimed by a multitude of excellence awards, allows Luxaviation to refocus on our core aviation services, and to further concentrate on innovation and to invest worldwide into the sector's development," says chief executive Patrick Hansen.
Source: Flight International
