Fokker Services plans to expand its activities beyond providing spares and technical support for Fokker turboprops and jet-powered aircraft, to include maintenance and modifications of other civil and military aircraft.
As part of the Dutch company's planned diversification, it has acquired a two-bay service centre at Singapore's Seletar Airport, formerly owned by LAB Asia Pacific. "This completes our strategy to have a presence in Europe, USA and Asia," says Fokker Services president Govert Hammers.
Aside from providing maintenance, technical and logistical support for the 250 Fokker F27s, F28s, 50s, 70s and 100s still in operation in the region, Fokker's new plant will be used to help the company widen it activities in Asia and elsewhere. Hammers adds: "We see it as a stepping stone to developing our business."
Fokker Services Asia has inherited LAB's local workforce and approval to perform maintenance on Aero International (Regional) ATR 42/72 turboprops. It is intended to transfer this capability back to the parent company's Woensdrecht site in the Netherlands.
"Diversification is very important," says Fokker technical support vice-president Jan van der Giessen. "The Fokker fleet will not remain strong forever, we have to move to other aircraft types as well," he adds. The Dutch plant is already capable of performing D-checks on Boeing 737s and plans to expand this to 757s. Other aircraft under consideration include the Airbus A320 family, McDonnell Douglas DC-10s and Lockheed Martin C-130s.
Fokker, in addition, wants to expand its involvement with military aircraft into new markets, such as Asia. The company's is focusing primarily on Lockheed Martin F-16 upgrade work, conversion of Fokker 50 maritime-patrol aircraft and transports, and support for the Lockheed Martin P-3C and the Westland Lynx naval helicopter.
Van der Giessen says that the company is now actively promoting its proposed Rolls-Royce Tay 620 re-engined F28RE to prospective airlines, leasing companies and investment groups.
- Receivers for the separate bankrupt Fokker Aircraft production unit say that they are to hold talks with Russian and Chinese investors who are interested in acquiring the company. After a series of abortive take-over attempts, this latest deal is being viewed with considerable scepticism, however.
Source: Flight International
