MAC Interiors is aiming for more of the global VIP completions market through partnerships with international engineering and maintenance companies that are looking to add interior outfitting their business portfolios.
The Redhill, Surrey, UK-based company's initiative follows the formation of recent joint ventures with maintenance, repair and overhaul companies Alsalam Aircraft and EgyptAir to assist with their VIP conversion programmes.
"We have completed two of three Dassault Falcon 20s for EgyptAir and are working with Alsalam on two VIP-configured Lockheed L-100s for a Saudi Arabian customer," says MAC Interior's commercial director Roger Patron.
"We can transport our expertise to companies like this, for which VIP is a natural add-on to their business, but they are unable to provide the service in-house because they do not have the specific skills. We are now looking for similar ventures in the USA," Patron adds.
The privately owned company has seen its business model switch in the past three years from commercial airline interiors to VIP and multi-mission aircraft completions. "If we had relied solely on airline work we wouldn't be here today," says MAC Interiors managing director Stephen Whittaker.
"Corporate interiors now account for around 80% of our business - in 2007 it was less than 30%," adds Patron. "Although we are working at three-quarters of the capacity compared with last year and there has been a moderate downturn in VIP work, the business is still strong."
MAC is the main interior outfitter for the BAE Avro Business Jet, having completed four of the types to date - including two RJ85s for the Dubai Air Wing and an RJ70 for Bulgarian company Hemus.
An RJ100 is scheduled for delivery to an Abu Dhabi's Airi flight in November, while MAC has secured contracts to complete three more RJ types this year.
Source: Flight International
